


Risen From The Ashes

by BonnieScotty



Series: Risen From The Ashes [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Aunt/Nephew Incest, Catelyn Tully Stark Lives, Daenerys Targaryen Is Not a Mad Queen, Dragons, F/M, Jon Snow is Not Called Aegon, Jon Snow is a Targaryen, Jon Snow's Name is Jaehaerys, Kind of follows season 8, King Jon Snow, Married Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen, Multi, Queen Daenerys Targaryen, R Plus L Equals J, Robb Stark Lives, Targaryen Restoration, Targlings (ASoIaF)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:28:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 31,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28287720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BonnieScotty/pseuds/BonnieScotty
Summary: A one-shot where after winning the war for the throne, Jon finds out Walder Frey did not kill Robb and Catelyn like he said.
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters, Catelyn Stark/Ned Stark, Gilly/Samwell Tarly, Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth, Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen, Lyanna Stark/Rhaegar Targaryen, Meera Reed/Bran Stark, Talisa Maegyr/Robb Stark
Series: Risen From The Ashes [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2101566
Comments: 24
Kudos: 123





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been working on this on and off for a few months but I thought I’d post it since it’s Christmas Eve. 
> 
> Loosely follows the plot line of S8 but instead of Daenerys burning everyone with Drogon, Cersei does with wildfire.

"Your Grace, will you be accompanying us as we round up all the hostages in the castles?"

Jon simply confirmed he would be. He was still getting used to that title, he never thought he would be a King. At the tender age of twenty and four, he had done things very few people had. He had served in the Night's Watch, had been promoted to Lord Commander at twenty, had brokered peace with the Free Folk, had taken back the North with the help of his sister Sansa, been named King, had abdicated to be Warden, then became King again when Daenerys married him. He never thought he would be married, had always thought it too shameful and too difficult for the poor girl he ended up with. He couldn't have been more wrong. 

Things had been tense between the pair when the truth came out regarding Jon's parentage, but they were moments from being ambushed by the army of the dead. After this both wanted to stay away from one another which led to Rhaegal gaining a serious injury- one they were unsure he would recover from at the time. It was only when it came to the fight for the throne that the pair reconciled and put aside their differences. They had married not long after in the eyes of the seven and they planned to do so in the eyes of the old gods as well once they travelled back North.

"I want those going to free the hostages to round them up and bring them to Dragonstone. Since the Red Keep no longer stands after Cersei released the wildfire underneath the castle, we do not have the space to host them in Kings Landing."

Davos simply nodded from beside him, the young King not even realising he was now walking beside him. The elderly man was almost like a father figure to Jon, and he had been honoured to name him his hand. An honour the Knight was hesitant to accept, but he had done so with the promise his family could move into the castle alongside them. 

"When is your sister expected to arrive, your Grace?"

Jon simply rolled his eyes at this, noticing the small smirk on Davos' face.

"Ser, you do not need to refer to me by title. You knew me before I was even Lord Commander never mind King. We received her raven a fortnight ago, so I'd assume she'll be here any day as she is taking a ship from White Harbour. Arya is already planning numerous pranks for her."

A small cackle left him at this, not used to seeing them act like siblings and not as war-hardened people. 

"How is she? Still throwing up most mornings?"

The younger smiled deeply at this. A few weeks after they had wed, they had been given the news that Daenerys was with child. Something she never thought would happen as she was supposedly barren, and him because he never thought he would have children. Didn't want to sully them with a bastard surname like what he had grown up with. Then again, he wasn't a bastard. He was Jaehaerys Targaryen, trueborn son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. 

"Not this morning, hopefully it's not a hard pregnancy on her. I hate seeing her in pain."

The pair soon found themselves walking along the beach surrounding the ancestral seat of their House, something Jon would never tire of. Growing up in Winterfell and the North in general, the only beaches he ever saw were stone beaches. Soon, the sound of beating wings caught their attention as the green dragon landed directly in front of Jon, who wasted no time in petting the snout of the dragon. He'd grown a further twenty feet since he had first come to the shores of Dragonstone a year earlier, but he was still over a head shorter than his brother Drogon. The black and red dragon had made himself a nest inside the volcano on the island, only ever showing to feed and to spend time with his mother.

"What are you going to do with the hostages? Are you going to question them?"

By now, Rhaegal was purring into the touch of his rider, a sound Davos was still not used to.

"Those who were simply imprisoned for cooperation, no. Those who were that done something but were too valuable to kill, yes. Those who still have family members alive shall be sent to them if their castle still stands. If it doesn't, we will give them a choice of the unoccupied castles in the country. I doubt it will come to this though considering a lot of families are now extinct. The Greyjoy line will die out with Yara unless she has a son and legitimises him, the Tyrell's are gone, the Frey's are gone, very few Lannister's remain, Martell's will disappear as there are no males left, Stark's will die out with Sansa and Arya considering Bran cannot have children, and numerous more."

Even now, they were tallying up the dead, the numbers soaring exponentially the more they walked around. A third of the capital is now nothing but a smouldering ruin, neighbouring towns and villages were much the same. At the latest, the count was over two-hundred thousand casualties. A large number, but this was combining the battle with the dead and the battle for the capital. Tyrion had not shown his face since he had found the bodies of Jaime and Cersei in the rubble that became the Red Keep, the man's hands being tight around his twin's neck. Whether she had died from strangulation or from the collapsing building, no one knew with certainty. 

"It'll get easier lad, you adapt well. Plus, you've been King before."

"Of the North, Davos. Not of the other six Kingdoms. Although I suppose it's good that I don't need to do all the work myself. We've come to the agreements I deal with the high Lords whereas Dany will deal with the smallfolk, and we are going to split political together. I've been around high Lords since I was born, but she hadn't been until she allied with Dorne and the Reach. At least people are starting to see her for who she is and not simply see her as her father's daughter."

There was a gentle breeze in the air which cut through the warmth of the south, something he was not sure if he would ever get used to. They had talked about creating a new capital but nothing was confirmed yet. Kings Landing held too many memories for the pair of them for it to ever feel like home. Perhaps they could restore Harrenhal and rule from there due to its almost central location in Westeros. That wouldn't be for a long time though, they need to restore their Kingdom first before figuring out where to rule from. Both are happy remaining at their ancestral seat. 

"Have you put more thought into who you want as Kingsguard? Are you even going to have one?"

"Aye, we will. Both of us will have seven each, one from each Kingdom. We are undecided who will get the honour yet. It's a good thing the Unsullied are so obedient. Plus, people would be stupid to harm us with two dragons."

"The Dothraki?"

"Dany gave them the option of going back to Essos if they so wished. Roughly half agreed to do so as they never acclimated well to here. Those who decided to stay are being taught the common tongue so they can integrate more freely. We're thinking of giving them lands in the Reach due to the numerous open fields, possibly some in Dorne as well but unconfirmed. Anyway, I must leave you Ser as I do have a meeting to attend at midday and we will be leaving a few hours after this."

The Hand nodded his head in acceptance before Rhaegal lowered his wing so he could climb on. This was a feeling he was never going to get used to, being in the air on an animal thought extinct. He remembered the first time he had mounted him back in the North not long after Jon had brought Daenerys and her army there with an alliance. He had almost fallen no less than six times, each time causing who is his now wife to cackle with laughter. He had gotten much better though, his bond growing stronger with the dragon as days passed. It would never be as strong as Dany's with Drogon, but there was one there. Rhaegal landed in the courtyard and once he was in the council chamber, he noticed his wife sitting down already. He took his place beside her and placed his crown atop his head. 

"How was the morning ride then?"

The pair had small chatter at this but it was clouded by the fact they would be separated again. Someone had to stay to oversee the Kingdom, and due to her being pregnant he had put his foot down. Something which led to him being given the silent treatment for a few days. How they even came to agreements at times was shocking, they were both as stubborn as mules. 

"We need to finish putting a council together, my love."

She leaned in to kiss him softly before smiling brightly at him.

"I won't be away for long, three weeks at most. We can put together a council then. We need to free the prisoners of war first beforehand. They need to be reunited with their families. Do you have any suggestions though?"

"For whisperers who better than Bran? I know he isn't exactly your brother anymore, but he can see everything. For coin I was thinking perhaps Tyrion, but no one has seen him since he found his siblings in the rubble. I would've suggested Davos as master of ships but he's your hand. We still need a Lord Commander, master of war, grand maester, and a master of laws."

"Perhaps Grey Worm can stand in as an unofficial Lord Commander? At least until we agree on who to appoint to Kings and Queensguard."

She hummed lightly at this, seeing where he was coming from. The chamber filled up soon as multiple people took seats around the large table. 

"What will it cost roughly to rebuild the ruined part of the capital? Excluding the Red Keep, the King and I have agreed to rule elsewhere but we are undecided on location yet."

A few eyebrows rose at the revelation they wouldn't be staying in Kings Landing, but when they thought about it, they couldn't argue against it. Too much had happened in the walls of the capital.

"Including a castle being rebuilt, we're looking at approximately five million golden dragons. Excluding a castle, perhaps three point five million golden dragons, your Graces."

Both nodded at this.

"We should be able to start rebuilding soon then. Cersei Lannister left a lot of gold in the castle that she was intending to use to buy more sellswords. I've also sent a message to Meereen to send supplies over which will bring the cost down alongside gemstones that can be sold to get more. We can fund that with no hassle without a castle and have a few hundred thousand left to go elsewhere."

Food stores were worked out after this, agreeing new trade deals, numerous names being thrown to take the Lord/Lady paramount position in the Reach. A couple of hours later and all but five remained in the room. Dany hugged Jon tightly before whispering a few words into his ear before leaving as well. 

"Where will we be headed first, your Grace?"

All walked to the adjoining room where the map table lay so they could discuss in more detail. They'd already freed all those trapped in the black cells who were hostages, and there were none in the North either. This left the Stormlands, the Reach, the Vale, the Westerlands, and the Riverlands. 

"Most are probably in the Westerlands and the Riverlands. Both were Lannister territory for years so there's bound to be a few dozen at least, possibly in the hundreds there. My sister has already ordered Lord Harrold to release all hostages in the Vale so we don't need to go there. The Reach we will visit too, but it would be best to appoint someone the seat of Highgarden first beforehand."

"Stormlands, Westerlands, and the Riverlands."

Jon nodded at this, these three seeming the most reasonable. 

"It would probably be best to work from the top heading down the map. I'll get a message sent to the kitchens to prepare food for the day. If we leave within the next couple of hours, we will be at the Twins by nightfall."

At these words, everyone left the room as they sensed the dismissal. Jon found himself walking around the castle, always finding something new about it he hadn't noticed before. Along the way he came across Gendry and Arya who both blushed and pushed away from one another. Apparently the Stormlands Lord wasn't allowing her rejection to a marriage proposal stop them. He's happy for her, she deserves that at least after being on the run for many years and presumed dead by everyone. The next couple of hours flew by, and soon he and his three companions were standing on the beach waiting on the dragon appearing. Neither were feeling confident about travelling on it, but it was undoubtedly the quickest way to do so. 

"On his back there are numerous spikes, you can either hold on to those or we can form a chain by whoever sits behind me holding on to me. Trust me, he won't let any of you fall."

This did little to calm their nerves as Rhaegal finally landed. The King helped them up and made sure they were somewhat comfortable before jumping in front of them. It didn't surprise him they all decided to form a chain by holding on to him. 

"Sōvegon."

With a loud roar, the dragon took off running before opening his wings. A moment later, they were soaring through the air. Those with Jon were finding it difficult to breathe with how fast they were going, but once they figured out how to do so, neither could deny the adrenaline rush this was. Ponies were quick, horses faster, but this was a whole other experience entirely. After an hour or so, two braved to break away from the chain and instead hold onto the spikes. By the time they had reached the Riverlands, it was darkening quickly which was common the closer to the North one was. The dragon landed in a large field where they all dismounted rather shakily.

"We're around a mile walk from the Twins. I'm not going to take him directly outside the walls. The castles are filled with only female Frey's now anyway after what my sister did."

\---

Darkness was all Robb Stark seemed to know now. He had no idea how long he had been locked up in these cells. Had it been weeks? Months? Years? The only thing he did know was that House Frey was no more as servants came down with meals to feed the prisoners. He's had a long time to think on his actions and what caused him to end up here with his mother in the cell beside him. Rickard Karstark was correct, the moment he married Talisa he had lost the war. If he hadn't have done so, the Frey's wouldn't have deflected to Tywin Lannister. But it wouldn't have stopped Roose Bolton. If he ever got out of here, he was going to put the man through all the hells himself. 

He didn't even need to leave Talisa. He could've come to an agreement with her and Roslin Frey, but that was something he couldn't ever do now. The young Frey girl had instead married his uncle Edmure who was confined to their quarters with their son. Conceived on the night of their wedding, the wedding which almost led to Robb and Catelyn being killed alongside their bannermen. It was only once all their bannermen had been defeated and Catelyn threatened to slit the throat some of his daughters that Walder Frey agreed to keep them alive. 

Not that this was living exactly, because it wasn't.

"Surely they can't keep us here for much longer. House Frey will go extinct after the males were assassinated- "

"They were in line with the Lannister's, mother. They'll keep us alive to get the North in control."

The older woman sighed heavily at this before silence surrounded them. They were separated from the other prisoners because as King and Queen mother, they 'deserved' better treatment. Right now, Robb did not feel like a King at all, he hadn't since he had been locked away. Above they could hear numerous footsteps, wondering what was going on now. Was the war still going on? Was it finished? If it was, who had the Iron Throne? Was Sansa still a hostage in the capital? Was Jon still alive at the Wall? He already knew Bran and Rickon were dead, torched by Theon Greyjoy of all people. If he ever saw him again he would be getting the same treatment as Roose Bolton. Arya hadn't been seen since his father's head was taken on King Joffrey's orders. Hopefully that little shit had faced his comeuppance. 

"What do you think is happening? Doesn't seem like an attack, too few people."

His mother simply hummed at the question before going quiet again. The door opened not long after and he had to blink at the light streaming in from the numerous torches outside. He was not used to that anymore. 

"How many hostages are there?"

"Around fifty, your Grace. Only two are on this level, the others are in the lower level."

That voice. It sounded so familiar to Robb. Where had he heard it before? 

"You three deal with those in the lower levels, I'll deal with the two here."

Even from where he was locked up, he could feel the power emanating from whoever this was. So, there was a new King, who was it? Footsteps echoed around the level, whoever the new King was trying to find the cells they were in. Surely the remaining Frey's would've told him? There was only one set of footsteps now, and he soon for his answer as a man walked by them. It was only when Robb took a deep breath that he realised they were there. He gulped deeply before he turned around, and the moment their eyes connected, panic erupted.

"Robb?! What in seven hells- you're supposed to be dead!"

He frantically opened the cell and they eyed one another. There was no denying who this was, Robb thought. He was much older, had a lot more scars than he remembered, but he recognised those grey eyes and black curls from anywhere.

"Jon? How are you here? You're supposed to be at the Wall- "

"No time to explain here. Roslin! Ready a room for these two, get baths drawn for them and ensure there is plenty of food and drink."

It was only then that Robb noticed his aunt by law standing there. She simply nodded and ran to somewhere else in the castle. 

"My mother, she's in the next cell down."

The younger man nodded before opening that cell too. Robb was confused on a whole other level. How was Jon at the Twins? He recognised the voice now, although it was considerably more northern than he remembered. He must've developed a thicker accent the years he spent at the wall. And why was he being referred to as royalty? Robb had never sent the letter legitimising him, he intended to do so after he took Casterly Rock, so it wasn't that. Had he deserted his post? He must've to be here, but why was he not beheaded? He leaned down to wrap a strong arm around him to help him stand up before getting him out, then he repeated the same process with Lady Catelyn. She looked just as shellshocked as Robb did, her face practically the colour of curdled milk. She'd treated him like dirt on her shoe his whole life, yet here he was rescuing her? The world has a funny way of working. 

"I'm going down with my men to free the other hostages. Both of you deserve a good clean, I can't imagine how long it's been for you. I'll explain everything after this is done."

Neither could say anything before he disappeared into the dungeons again. Roslin reappeared soon after and as soon as her eyes landed on them, they widened massively. Clearly shocked to see them. This confirmed something to Robb, it meant Walder Frey told everyone they had been killed in the wedding. How much time had passed since then? Roslin looked years older, Jon was taller than him now and was being referred to as the King, these things don't happen in a short time span. It was strange to be walking as a free man again, but it felt so good. His legs were stiff from misuse and he must've smelt something terrible as people were walking away from them whilst trying to hold their breaths. Roslin eventually stopped outside the Kings quarters and stated she would send maids to draw baths. Once she left the room, Catelyn let out a loud laugh, clearly delighted to no longer be chained up. 

Until now, Robb had never stopped for one moment to think on just how dirty he was. By the time he had cleaned all the grime from his body, the water was practically black. His hair was also now reaching his collar bones, in desperate need of a cut. Once he was back in the room, he noticed there were clothes laid out for him to change in to. They were a bit big on him considering he hadn't eaten a proper meal in gods know how long. Now, he took in the room he was in. It was probably the grandest one in the Twins, but it was still a far cry from Winterfell's own Kings quarters. There were two large beds in case any visiting King despised his Queen and they wished to share separate beds or if they had a child. Catelyn soon stepped in wearing a deep blue dress that pooled at her feet as she herself had lost a lot of weight as well. There was a knock on the door to alert them of a visitor and Jon stepped in with a couple of servants in tow carrying a lot of food. He spotted his mother give him a cold glare but it was considerably friendlier than the ones she used to give him. 

"Will you be staying the night, your Grace?"

"I wasn't planning to, but in light of this I will be. Please tell Devan for me, Meressa. He'll tell the others. Also, you do not need to worry about feeding Rhaegal, he'll hunt himself."

The young servant bowed her head and ran from the room, her companion close behind. 

"How are you here? Shouldn't you be at the wall? Why are they referring to you as King?"

Robb bit his lip at the harsh tone of Catelyn's voice, but Jon didn't even flinch. He was used to this treatment.

"There's a lot to tell you both. This will take hours probably. But summarising it, something happened which allowed me to legally leave my post. We took back Winterfell from the Bolton's after this. Then something happened where we needed a lot of allies, I gambled with one and it worked out. I was named King after this."

From the way his lips twitched, he knew he was summarising it to the absolute basics of what has been going on. But it was enough to calm Catelyn's silent rage.

"What year is it?"

"It's the seventh moon turn of 306 AC."

Robb's eyes bugged out at this; he had no idea it had been that long. More than five years had passed since that day. No wonder Jon looked so old now, they were both twenty and four. Catelyn on the other hand now forty and one. 

"Why did they name you though? I'm sure you proved yourself but you're a bastard, Jon- "

"I'm not a bastard, I never was."

At hearing these words, both sat in stunned silence. What did that even mean? Catelyn never carried him, and his father wasn't married beforehand. He wasn't legitimised, so how was he not a bastard? Unless... He stood up and placed his hands on his head in realisation that Ned had lied about fathering him.

"My father isn't your father, is he? He took you in."

Catelyn's breath hitched as tears built up in her eyes as betrayal racked through her. It was the only thing that made sense if what he spoke was truth.

"Numerous citadel records were found confirming my parentage. I'm not your brother Robb, at least, not by blood. I'm your cousin. Let's just say I was a lot closer to my mother than I thought in Winterfell."

Steadily, he sat back down and thought hard, trying to figure it all out. If he was his cousin, this meant either Brandon, Lyanna, or Benjen were the parent. The eldest hadn't been married, but he did have bastard children. Perhaps he was one of them and he had been legitimised along the way. But this didn't tie in to the never being a bastard. The same went for Benjen. Which meant Lyanna must've been his mother. If she was the mother, who was the father? Was he Robert Baratheon's? No, he couldn't be. The two hadn't married. Who did Lyanna marry secretly then?

"You're Rhaegar Targaryen's son."

His mother was the first to put the pieces together, and once they had been, he was furious for not figuring it out beforehand. 

"Aye. Trueborn son of Rhaegar and Lyanna. He never kidnapped or raped her, she ran off and eloped with him. Elia knew and agreed with the match. Ned took me in after he found my mother dying after birth complications with me, she swore him not to tell anybody because I would've been butchered in my sleep if people knew."

It was only now that Robb picked up a cheese roll and bit into it, trying to hold in a moan at eating freshly baked bread. He'd forgotten how good it tasted. After a few bites, he realised something and let out a barking laugh.

"So, the King was a bastard and the bastard was a King. Who would've thought."

Jon could do nothing but laugh along at this, that was exactly the words Dany had used when they started reconciling. A deep smile made its way onto his face as he thought about her, wondering what she was doing. Hopefully, she wasn't straining herself. Just the thought that he is going to be a father was shocking, what was he going to name the child?

"I'd best start from the beginning then. You've both missed out on a lot of things. But please, keep your minds open because some of the things that happened were thought to be stories."

"Like what? You found out we do live in the eye of a giant called Macumber or something?"

It was only when he noticed the faraway look on his brothers face that he realised now was not the time for jokes. Gods, what had happened in the past five years? What was happening elsewhere whilst he was fighting?

"I suppose it started when I first joined the Night's Watch. At the time I thought it was an honour, but I was very, very wrong. I was there for a couple of months before weird tales came around. A lot of rangers were going missing- including uncle Benjen. A party was sent out to look for them but they also never returned. Naturally, we all thought it was the Free Folk. In that time, I made an enemy of the master-at-arms, and due to this I couldn't be a ranger. Therefore, I was named steward to Lord Commander Mormont. One day, we found two bodies a couple of miles further north, bodies of two black brothers. We took them back to prepare them for a funeral when we noticed something was off.

"They'd been missing for weeks at this point, and they'd clearly been dead for around the same amount of time, yet there was no smell from them. Their bodies hadn't even rotted like an actual body would. Therefore, we left them in the Maester's care to find out why they weren't decaying or smelling of anything. That night, Ghost woke me up. Howling and scratching at the door, and I knew something was wrong. I got up and followed him into the Lord Commander's tower. He was sound asleep and just as I was about to leave, I noticed someone else in the room, but they weren't alive per say. One of the bodies we brought back came at me, I managed to fight him off but no amount of stab wounds affected him. Just got back every time I did so. By this point, Jeor had woken up and saw what I was faced with. Without thinking, I grabbed a lit lantern and threw it at him. This done the trick, and he died for good. We immediately burned the other body to stop it happening again. In gratitude for saving his life, he gifted me his family's Valyrian steel sword Longclaw."

He gestured to his hip where the sword was located, but Robb's mind was going hundreds of miles a minute. Was he saying that white walkers were real? Old Nan used to tell them the tales when they were children, but from his expression, he knew he was telling the truth.

"We decided to go north into Free Folk territory to find out more about it. See if it was a one-off or not. Over three hundred of us left. We stopped at a keep of someone called Craster, a disgusting man. Someone who marries his daughters who give him more daughters and once they're of age he marries them. I got curious as to what he was doing with his sons because surely he had some. One girl gave birth to a boy whilst we were there, and I followed where he took the baby. He left it out in the snow and walked away, but I stayed. Then I witnessed one of them take the baby. 

"I confronted Jeor about this, and he told me he was aware he didn't keep the sons alive but he didn't know what he was doing with them. We went further north. After this, we got separated quickly, me volunteering to go with the Halfhand. Then he hatched his plan with me, we capture a Wildling and end up in a fight to make it look like we were deserting- but we weren't. I captured a girl, called Ygritte, a feisty redhead who loved to torment me. I came out victorious in the fight with the Halfhand, but to do so I had to kill him. They believed I had switched to their side so they took me prisoner. That's where I was able to find out it wasn't simply a one-off and tens of thousands of them had already died as a result. 

"They were gathering a large army, a little over one-hundred thousand, to march on the wall. They weren't doing so to kill; they were doing so they would have a seven-hundred-foot wall of ice separating them from what was out there. Along the way, I ended up falling in love with Ygritte. I climbed the wall with them but to prove my loyalty, they asked me to kill an innocent horse breeder. I couldn't bring myself to do it and I managed to make my escape. Ygritte found me and I ended up with three arrows in me because of this, but she didn't kill me. She loved me, and I loved her. Neither of us wanted to kill the other.

"When I got back to Castle Black, I was almost decapitated myself for breaking one of my vows. If it weren't for the maester stating the fact that numerous other brothers snuck off to a brothel in Mole's Town most nights, I would've been. They let me go and I gave them all the information I could. That was when I found out about what had happened to you Robb. I wanted to break all my vows then to come and kill Roose Bolton and Walder Frey myself, but I managed to stop myself. I tried to do so once before, after you called the banners the first time, but I chose to remain reluctantly. We had to prepare for an attack where the odds were most certainly not in our favour. 

"We had a little over one hundred men, the Free Folk had over one-hundred thousand. They were attacking both from the south and the north, so we had to split our forces. The person who was supposed to be leading on my side decided to act like a baby and hide- so I stepped in. We defeated the first wave but lost half of our men. I lost Ygritte that day, she died in front of me. A boy called Olly shot an arrow through her from behind. I burned her myself. We had nothing to lose, so I went north to meet the man calling himself the King beyond the wall. During the time I spent with them, I grew accustomed to their culture and lifestyle, realised they were no different from us. The only thing that was different was that they were born on the wrong side of the wall.

"But then an army arrived. We were all confused and they were accusing me of sending someone to massacre them after using myself as a decoy. It wasn't northmen that arrived however, it was Stannis Baratheon. Trying to win them over so they would fight for him. He took a few as prisoners for information before we made our way back to Castle Black. Whilst I was their prisoner, Jeor Mormont died in a mutiny. I lead the party myself to avenge him and kill those who stabbed him in the back. I was named Lord Commander after that. Stannis offered to legitimise me as Jon Stark and promised to help me take back Winterfell, but I refused because of my vows."

Robb's eyebrows were now almost reaching his hairline upon hearing all of this. But how had he left his post legally? Night's Watch take their vows for life, and Jon was alive. Was that even his name?

"That was when I made a very controversial decision. I freed one of the Free Folk being kept captive and borrowed a few ships from Stannis. We sailed for Hardhome which is a large town beyond the wall where many had fallen back to. Stannis sacrificed their King by putting him on a pyre, but I ended it before the flames could by shooting an arrow into his heart. There were around fifty thousand of them there, less than five thousand agreed. I'd seen what was out there, what was happening, what would happen to them if they weren't brought south. It came to the decision of letting tens of thousands of people die who are simply trying to live or making peace with those we'd been fighting for years. 

"That was when the walkers came. I honestly don't think I can describe them to you Robb. Extremely tall and almost beautiful to look at. Hair pure white and their skin a bright icy blue. Along with this, tens of thousands of wights- which is undead people. Those who have died and been brought back for their army. I couldn't just stand there and watch them be slaughtered, I joined in the fight. I don't know how many I took down, but I did. We knew fire, Valyrian steel, and dragonglass could kill them. Three things we didn't have much of. We managed to save approximately a further few hundred of them but it was nowhere near the same. I killed a walker myself with Longclaw, one of the scariest moments of my life. Eventually, I realised if we didn't back away, we would've all been killed then. We fell back and got to the ships. As we were sailing towards Eastwatch, their leader walked up and he- he brought them all back. 

"I knew I'd made the correct decision in saving those people even though it was very few compared to how many died. My brothers didn't all agree with it. I let them pass the wall, letting them know they didn't need to bend the knee if they didn't want to. Just had to abide by the laws of Westeros which they agreed immediately on. A few days passed after this and I was doing paperwork in my solar when my steward told me there had been a sighting of Benjen. Naturally, I rushed outside to find out more information. I found out too late it was a ruse, and my watch ended that night."

As the story went on, Catelyn's stony glare had changed to one of concern. Robb on the other hand was struggling to wrap his head around all of this. He knew Jon wasn't lying, but it was so fantastical. Only now did he notice his words wobbled near the end, clearly caught in the memory. What did he mean by his watch ended that night? Jon caught the look being directed at him as he removed his clothing on his top half which caused the Lady to blush deeply. The strangled gasps that left the pair when he was naked pierced the silence. There were five lethal stab wounds on his chest. They hadn't even closed over, clearly hadn't been stitched up. But they weren't bleeding, they were just there. Two in his lower stomach, one in the centre of his torso, another at the base of his ribcage, and one over his heart. 

"Jon how- how did you survive that?"

He stood up and reached a hand hesitantly towards him before retracting. From the simple nod the younger gave him, he traced the scars under his fingertips. He could see how deep they were up close.

"I didn't. They killed me. Left me on the snow to bleed out. I don't know what happened after this, but I do remember this pit of darkness before waking up in the room that was used to prepare bodies for a funeral. Ser Davos Seaworth was there, Melisandre of Asshai, you'll recognise her my Lady as the red priestess who was with Stannis. Tormund, who was the one who came with me north to Hardhome to gather his people, along with those who were loyal to me and understood I'd made the correct decision. Melisandre did a ritual or so I'm told, and I woke up. Brought me back to life. My vows were complete then, and I knew I couldn't stay there considering my own men put knives in me with the intention to kill. I hung those who did so the next day before announcing I was leaving.

"No one dared to stop me because they knew I would never be the same if I stayed. Vows are for life, and I gave my life. They asked me to stay though until I figured things out. Where I was going to go, what I was going to do, how I was going to do it. A few days after this, riders arrived. No banners, hoods covering their faces. It was the first time since it happened that I was walking around outside. Then one of the riders jumped off and removed their hood- it was Sansa."

Hearing her name immediately brought joy to the other two. This meant she had escaped Kings Landing somehow. How she did it they would find out later, but right now the thought she got out was enough.

"I don't know the full details of what happened to her, and I didn't want to force her to tell me. All she did tell me was that she was sold to the Bolton's with a marriage contract with Ramsay who Roose had legitimised considering Domeric was killed. She was covered in bruises when she arrived, multiple scars on her, but she was my sister. She jumped into my arms, something I never expected her to ever do. I offered to shelter her and made her aware there was no way I was letting her out of my sight again, and that I would protect her to the best of my ability.

"It was her idea to start rallying those who were loyal to House Stark in the North. We didn't have a lot of support because many had family members held as prisoners by the Bolton's and didn't want to risk them being killed for retaliation. The Free Folk I saved agreed to help because they did owe their lives to me. Sansa managed to get the Vale as well. That was when we received a raven from Ramsay who killed Roose to take over as Lord of Winterfell telling us he had Rickon. I was confused because I thought he had been killed by Theon alongside Bran. That's when Sansa told me Theon was one of Ramsay's hostages but he wasn't exactly Theon anymore. He admitted to her it wasn't Bran and Rickon he killed. We didn't believe the letter at first because we weren't sure if he was just playing a game with us. It was Theon who managed to get Sansa out, and he went to broker peace with Yara."

Upon hearing her youngest sons had not been killed by their ward, a large sob left Catelyn's mouth. Robb immediately pulled her in tight for a hug as he was struggling to keep his emotions at bay too. For so many years, he had thought his youngest siblings had been butchered and burned, but they were alive. At least, until this point.

"Then came the battle, and we found out that he wasn't tricking us. He had Rickon shackled in chains and he looked like he hadn't eaten in days. But it was him, there was no denying it. He freed him and said if he reached me, he was free to go. I immediately mounted my horse at these words, not sensing anything good about them. He pulled out his bow and arrows and began shooting. I've never ridden so fast in my life, and I don't think Rickon had ever ran so fast either. I didn't make it to him, an arrow piercing his heart when I was a couple of metres from him.

"Foolishly, I charged at the cavalry myself, but our own cavalry joined in at the right time. It went on for hours and it seemed like we were going to lose. Until the Knights of the Vale rode in and broke the formation with an attack from behind. This secured the win for us and Ramsay ran, locked himself up in Winterfell. But the Free Folk had a giant, who was able to break the gates down and allow everyone entry to find the fucker. He tried to shoot me with his arrows but I dodged them all with a discarded shield I'd grabbed. I wanted to kill him myself, so badly. I beat him until he had multiple broken bones in his face and was covered in blood, then Sansa gave me a look. She told people to lock him in the kennels and not to feed him in any way. I found out the next morning she fed him to his own hunting dogs for what he did to her."

Robb's eyes widened again. Sansa? Feeding someone to his dogs? What had she gone through? Catelyn looked positively sick at the thought, but she couldn't hide the fact she was prideful of her daughter doing what she did. 

"Once we'd burned all the bodies, we called a council to confirm Winterfell was back in the Stark's name through Sansa. I thought I was still a bastard at this time, so I didn't want to be named the Lord. However, the Lords and Ladies had another idea, they named me King. I didn't want to take a title, and I'll be honest, I still don't want one. But I couldn't refuse them either because they would take it as an insult. Surprisingly, I slipped into the role relatively easily, but I knew we needed more men for the fight to come. The other Lords and Ladies were understandably wary of the claim of walkers being back, but we needed men anyway. Cersei Lannister decimated the Tyrell's by blowing up the Sept of Baelor with wildfire. She was going to stop at nothing to remain in power.

"Joffrey was poisoned at his own wedding, not long after the one where you were both supposedly killed. Tommen married Margaery in place of Joffrey after this, and when Cersei killed them all, he leaped from the highest tower in the Red Keep. A friend of mine, one of my brothers from the Night's Watch who I sent to train as the new maester after the old one died sent a raven confirming there was a mountain of dragonglass in Dragonstone. But there was a catch, we also received a letter telling us Daenerys Targaryen had finally crossed the Narrow Sea after over twenty years in exile. She had an army of Unsullied, over one-hundred thousand Dothraki screamers, Second Sons, Dorne, and support from Olenna Tyrell. 

"She demanded I go south to bend the knee to her and in exchange we would keep Winterfell and be made Lord and Lady paramount again. I talked with Sansa often alongside my hand Ser Davos and we agreed that I go there to try and broker an agreement so we could get the dragonglass. The Lords and Ladies of the North were not pleased with this because only horror stories came out regarding her, but it was our best bet. I left the next day with Davos and a handful of loyal bannermen."

The older man didn't think he could be more surprised upon what he was hearing, but this confirmed everything. The last thing he had heard about Daenerys was that she had apparently hatched three dragon eggs and crucified masters in Yunkai. But he caught the small smile that came onto his brothers face as he spoke about her, a look he knew well as he had a similar response whenever he was talking about Talisa. 

"When we arrived, we found out the rumours were true regarding her having dragons. A big black and red one named Drogon, a green and bronze one named Rhaegal, and a cream and gold one names Viserion."

His memory sparked at this; he had told the servant girl Meressa that they didn't need to worry about feeding Rhaegal. Gods, this meant there was a literal dragon near the castles.

"To put it simply, we didn't get along. Both of us too stubborn to see the others point of view. There were a lot of disagreements between us and this ended in us being unofficial hostages. We could walk around the island and free to roam the castle, but that was it. Over time, I began to see her point of view to things but she didn't believe me. I can't blame her for that though. Most people would react like that if someone barged into their home and told them there was an army of dead men heading south. She'd talked with Tyrion who was her advisor- how that happened I've no idea. They agreed the political gain the alliance would come with numerous benefits. For this reason, they allowed us to mine the dragonglass and send it to Winterfell to be made into weapons. 

"She attacked Casterly Rock and was able to take it, but Cersei aligned with Euron Greyjoy and he burned all their ships. She got her ships from Yara if she was named Queen of the Iron Islands when it was all over. Theon was there too. I wanted to kill him when I saw him, but Sansa forbade me from doing so as she believed he had repented already. They were only able to take the Lannister seat because they left just enough people to defend it but not enough to hold it, they sacked Highgarden instead. A tactic I believe they adopted from the one you used against Tywin, brother. The Martell's she had aligned with as well were taken as they were also on the ships.

"For good reason, she was furious. In one day, a manoeuvre which would normally win the war ended in her losing all her allies. So, she turned to me, and we began discussing an alliance together. She was still adamant I bend the knee to her, but I didn't do so. Daenerys wanted to immediately go to the capital and burn the castle our ancestors built to the ground with her dragons, but I talked her out of doing so. I'd gotten to know her during those couple of months as did the bannermen and Ser Davos, we all agreed she was nothing like her father and was a good person. Instead, I told her to attack the Lannister army because they would be on their way back from Highgarden in that time.

"She did just that, attacked with a few thousand of her Dothraki screamers and one of her dragons. She rides Drogon, and he is lethal. The army was soundly defeated and hostages were taken and she allowed a few to leave to spread the word. She was only gone for a little more than a day before she was back on Dragonstone, her Dothraki a few days behind her alongside her Unsullied who were temporarily stranded in Casterly Rock. Then a raven came from Winterfell, alerting me that Arya and Bran had made it home. In the weeks that followed this, we grew close with one another. But we both knew we had to either take Cersei out then or agree peace terms until the war in the North was won. 

"Me and six others boarded a ship to Eastwatch where we went north of the wall. What made us do such a drastic thing was lost on us, but we needed proof. We were successful in capturing a wight, but we did not escape on time as the army surrounded us. I knew from experience at Hardhome that they cannot swim. So, I led us to a frozen lake which had an island in the centre of us. Once we were on the island, we all pushed our swords into the ice to break it away so they couldn't get to us. Before the army arrived, I sent one of the men to run to Eastwatch immediately and send an urgent raven to Daenerys to ask for help. We were there for days, taking it in turns to make sure the ice didn't harden again.

"She arrived after this with all three of her dragons, burned as many as she could. She pulled all other men onto Drogon's back but when it came to me, I couldn't do it. It felt wrong for me to be on him. I ended up swarmed and I ordered her to leave. I fell through the ice into the freezing water below which stopped them from coming for me, but my clothing weighed me down. All I heard was an almighty screech and I saw Viserion falling from the sky, so much blood falling from him as well. They took him down and she left. I managed to pull myself free after this and someone rode through the blockage with some device that had flames on it. It was Benjen. He didn't give me an explanation as to where he was and why he had disappeared, simply ordered me to get on the horse and ride fast for Eastwatch."

By now, all food was gone, and there had been a few glasses of wine drank as well. Jon took a deep breath before continuing.

"I arrived almost frozen to death, fell unconscious as soon as I got off the horse. I'd expected them all to have left back to Dragonstone, but instead Daenerys was wating there. She waited on me, and she was worried for me. Something changed between us when I came around, we both put our prides and stubbornness away and realised somewhere along the line, we grew to care deeply for one another. The fact that she sacrificed one of her dragons to save me was enough to cement to me she was a worthy ruler. I abdicated then, and we arrived back in Dragonstone not long after. We allowed ourselves to recuperate before sailing to the capital to meet with Cersei. 

"All Lords and Ladies in attendance laughed us off when we told them what was happening and why we were asking for a temporary truce. But then we brought the wight out, and this knocked reality into them all. Cersei agreed to the temporary truce and stated she would send one of her armies north with us to help in the fight that was coming. We sailed for White Harbour after this and then rode to Winterfell together. I'd left the castle a King with a few loyal bannermen and my hand, and I came back with three large armies, two dragons, and as Warden. 

"Sansa wasn't pleased that I'd abdicated, but she respected the decision. Seeing Bran again was incredible, but I must make you aware that he isn't exactly Bran anymore. He developed an ability, one where he can see everything that has ever happened and everything that is currently happening. He told us the leader of the walkers who we dubbed the Night King had risen Viserion and they had breached the wall. We only had a few days to prepare for the fight, but then we realised Cersei backstabbed us. She never intended to send one of her armies north, and Jaime decided to come and fight. He did swear a vow to fight alongside us, and he kept that promise. 

"That was when my friend Samwell, the one I'd sent to Oldtown to train as a maester that is, told me about the citadel records. In seconds, my world came crashing down. Everything I'd ever known ripped away; my identity disappeared from under my feet. Disgust sank in deeply because on the ship bound for White Harbour, Daenerys and I admitted our feelings for one another and shared a bed together, multiple times at that. I told her first and we got into a bitter argument over it. Then the horn sounded, letting us know the dead were sighted. We put the bitterness aside for the fight and we both mounted the dragons. She'd asked me to take Rhaegal not long after we arrived in Winterfell, thought that if he had a rider he would be safer. We lost a lot of people during the fight. After many hours of constant destruction, Arya got through to the leader who was heading for Bran and managed to kill him. We won, but with terrible casualties."

Gods, this sounded terrible. And this was all happening above whilst they were left in the dungeons to rot. He could see the look clouding Jon's eyes, knew it must've been terrifying to witness. Both Catelyn and Robb had witnessed numerous deaths but trying to imagine one of the bodies getting up and walking over to attack was lost on them. How did he manage to keep it together whilst leading an army after finding out who he was? He could guess what the argument he and Daenerys had. He had abdicated for her, but he was further ahead in succession than her. Jon had already stated he never wanted titles but he didn't want to refuse the Lords which is why he did, he clearly felt boxed in. The thought that Jon had been sleeping with his aunt wasn't lost on him, but they didn't know they were related until then. 

"Things were very tense from then on between everyone. We were all relieved because we won, but we'd lost almost two thirds of our armies. I was still fighting with Daenerys at this point and it came to a header when I told her I wanted to tell Arya and Sansa the truth. She was terrified of this because she and Sansa didn't get along with one another. She thought Sansa would tell everyone and then we would be forced into something neither of us wanted. I thought she was being paranoid so I did it, made them swear a sacred oath under the heart tree in Winterfell. Sansa did not keep her oath and she told Tyrion who proceeded to tell Varys. Immediately the spider began plotting against Daenerys to get me on the Iron Throne. He was writing letters manipulating her acts to make her seem like a ruthless person and make me look like the better candidate. She executed him when she found out, and I can't blame her for that. None of the letters got out though, he never went through with sending them.

"We agreed to attack from both sides, so she took her armies and went back to Dragonstone, and we would follow the rear. The intention was to make the attacking arrow look weak before having the larger force attack from behind. On the journey down, I came to accept who I was and realised I was being unreasonable. The pack stays together, and she is family to me too. I should've heeded her advice straight away and not told anyone until after Cersei was defeated. I received a raven from Tyrion giving us bad news. Euron attacked some of their ships and took her closest friend's captive, and we found out Cersei had commissioned scorpions to be made. One hit Rhaegal in the neck and he couldn't fly. It was a lethal wound but luckily not one to kill with immediate attention. We had to tread very carefully after this because she didn't want to lose her friends, and we had no idea what Cersei was going to do.

"We decided that she attack the walls as this was where the scorpions were situated. Destroy them first so we didn't need to worry about a large dragon being shot down from the sky. Then we launched the surprise attack from behind which decimated the Golden Company which Cersei hired against us. Ironic as she didn't know about me. Hire the company that was made through our ancestors. We stormed the city after this, took out as many of the Lannister army as we could. But then the bells started ringing, signalling they weren't going to fight anymore. We put away our weapons but refused to give them over in case it was a trap and they led us to the Red Keep.

"We were met with the gates closed to the outside and tens of thousands of innocents inside. Cersei wasn't going to free them, clearly using them as leverage against us as they knew we weren't going to kill innocents if we could help it. Daenerys used Drogon to burn the walls down so they could get out, and we found out what Cersei was doing the hard way. Next thing I remember was feeling the ground shaking constantly and then a giant green flame. She'd put wildfire underneath the castle, blew it all to pieces so she wouldn't need to surrender. Most of those innocents were burned alive and we couldn't do anything but watch. Buildings started collapsing and we ran to get away from the destruction. The next day once all the damage had been done, we made our way back to the Red Keep.

"Nothing remained of it under than numerous red bricks and a couple of walls. We gathered the dead and moved them to outside the walls. They were in pieces and their skin was blackened so none could be recognised. Therefore, thousands of people who survived the blast couldn't bury their lost loved ones. We held a mass funeral for them all and let the septon's who survived to bless them. We picked through the rubble of what was the castle and we found Cersei, with Jaime's hands around her neck. He went ahead of us on the way down as he said he wanted to end it. We don't know if she died from strangulation or if he put her out of her misery after having a building collapse on them.

"After this, we went straight back to Dragonstone. Rhaegal was being attended to by multiple Maester's, trying to save him. Daenerys lost all her friends Cersei was keeping captive in the blast, and I went to comfort her. We reconnected during this time, both decided not to care what people would say about the relation. Then again, they can't do anything about it because there is a decree of exceptionalism for Targaryen's to keep blood lines pure. That was four months ago now and we're still accounting for the dead with all the wars now. That's how many people died. Multiple Houses have gone extinct or will go extinct due to there not being a male to carry on the name. 

"Dany and I married two months ago, and she's currently pregnant but we are keeping it under wraps in case something goes wrong for a bit. We're staying in Dragonstone just now but we have decided to move elsewhere. We're undecided where exactly but we both know we don't want it to be Kings Landing. Rhaegal has made a full recovery and I've since bonded with him like she has done with Drogon. Arya and Bran are both in the castle with us and Sansa is on her way down by ship. She wanted Northern independence but everyone knew that after fighting two wars this was not a viable option anymore. Too much was lost. We'll be rebuilding the ruined part of the capital soon, and we will not be rebuilding the Red Keep. The truth is now out regarding me and since we married I was King again. She's staying to oversee the costs whilst I'm travelling with a few of my loyal men to free all the hostages."

To put it lightly, both were stunned into silence as he finished his tale of what had been happening. Cersei had gone mad and blew thousands of her people up so she wouldn't have to surrender. That must've been a horrible thing to witness, tens of thousands dying and not being able to help in any way. It was strange thinking that Jon was married- to his aunt of all people- and they had a child on the way. He always said he never even wanted to have sex as he was terrified of fathering a bastard. 

"Thank you, for keeping my family safe when I couldn't."

Jon was frozen in place as these words left Catelyn's mouth. Never had she thanked him, but there was no denying she was sincere. Numerous tears were falling from her eyes and Robb realised he himself was struggling not to cry. 

"We'll spend the night here, and I'll see if I can get the servants and Roslin to find ways to disguise you both. A family reunion is long needed, and we don't need this to be watched by everyone if they knew you were both alive. Arya was there you know when it happened. The Hound had taken her and intended to ransom her so he could get a boat to Essos and never set foot in Westeros again. They killed Grey Wind and all the other bannermen that were there. Very few managed to escape. Tomorrow I'll let my men know the truth and that I will be taking you both to Dragonstone, I trust them to carry out the task at hand. Both of you rest, I've got to oversee some things. 

"Also, Edmure is happy with Roslin as his wife. He adores her and they have two sons together. One was conceived the night of their wedding. She's proclaimed fealty to us and with Bran's help we confirmed she had no idea what was going to happen. All the females were left in the dark about it, hence why they have not been punished. Arya is ruthless now, and there is no way you'll be finding a Lady when we arrive. She went to Braavos and trained with the faceless men for two years. It was her who took out the male Frey's- "

"Arya did it?! She single-handedly took out dozens of Frey's?!"

Jon simply nodded in response to Robb's retort.

"Bran doesn't exactly act like a person anymore; his ability has made him wise beyond his ten and eight years. Sansa isn't the perfect Lady anymore, she's learned how to play the game from Cersei, Littlefinger, and Ramsay. Do not cross her because she will tear you down. Bran is rather taken with Lady Meera Reed who helped protect him wherever he learned his ability but I don't know if anything will come of it. Arya is taken with Gendry Baratheon- formerly Gendry Waters but with the Baratheon's all being dead now we legitimised him. He escaped Kings Landing with her all those years ago, he proposed to her but I think you can guess her response. I highly doubt Sansa will marry again after being forced to marry Tyrion and Ramsay. If she ever does, it will be of her own accord and not political in any way, so do not force her into one."

With the warnings given, Jon got up to leave the room before Robb realised something.

"Jon, these are the King's quarters and you're the King- "

"Just because I'm King doesn't mean I enjoy special treatment, Robb. I have the formal guest quarters."

Then he was gone, leaving a thunderstruck Robb and Catelyn in his wake. Immediately, his mother broke down in tears as she heard what had happened, and this was only Jon's side to everything. What had happened to Sansa? How did she escape? Why was she sold to the Bolton's? Then there was Arya. Gods, she had taken out House Frey on her own. Although he couldn't deny the thought of her being with someone was alien to him. His little sister who used to gag if she saw couples had rejected a proposal but was still with the guy. And Bran, picturing him taken with someone was odd as well. Along with having an ability to see everything that's ever happened and everything that is happening? 

"I'm going to sleep. I need that after hearing all this. Gods, the boy I treated like dung was the rightful heir the whole time. I should've pieced it together beforehand because looking at him now, he does look like Rhaegar. Mother's colouring but father's looks. You know this means you aren't King anymore, Robb?"

"I know. I never wanted the title either, but I couldn't refuse the Lords. He'll be a good King, and Daenerys must be some woman to have captivated him."

How they fell asleep that night was a mystery. Neither had a good night of sleep in years and by the time they awoke, the sun was high in the sky and there was a platter of food on the table in the room. Both gorged happily on it before Jon walked into the room with a younger man trailing behind him. Neither recognised him.

"This is Devan, he's my Hand's son. He's going to stay to oversee everything whilst I get you both to Dragonstone."

"Don't you need a send a raven first?"

Jon smiled slightly at this alongside Devan before the younger male left the room. 

"We'll be there in approximately five hours, long before a raven will arrive. Edmure and Roslin are coming by to introduce you both to their sons and will help disguise you both. I'll be in the planning rooms with my men discussing where next to go."

Then he left the room again, now realising this was their new reality. The bastard of Winterfell was the King of the seven Kingdoms. It had all felt like a dream to them but waking up in featherbeds confirmed it wasn't. This just cemented it for them. Catelyn burst out crying when her brother walked into the room and threw out all etiquette lessons as she launched herself at him. Roslin had a son in each arm, and Robb could see the slight swell of her stomach confirming she was with child again. Edmure did look happy, something he never thought he would see. Perhaps betraying his vows did work out. 

"My grandfather told us he killed you both. We didn't know what had happened until the next day and we were locked in my quarters in the castle. We weren't allowed out or anything otherwise we could've done something. I'm sorry my Lord, my Lady, for what they did. I had no idea what they were plotting."

Robb simply placed a hand on her shoulder as he could see the sincerity in her expression.

"We forgive you, Roslin. You weren't at fault, and you seem rather taken with my uncle I see."

From the bright blush that came onto her face at this confirmed she very much did love Edmure. His uncle pulled him in for a tight hug as well.

"These are our sons, Hoster and Brynden. Cat, the Lannister's besieged Riverrun during everything going on and our uncle died fighting. It only felt right to name the future Lord of Riverrun after our father and uncle."

Both boys were looking at them quizzically before Roslin handed over a bag.

"Clothing, and we need to cut your hair. We can't have it look like you've been prisoners. I learned how to do it whilst we were locked up, my wonderful husband has hair that grows quicker than a woman's leg hair."

Edmure blushed now at this as the other two let out barking laughs. Catelyn knew the truth of her words. Both pulled the clothing on, nothing fancy to show people they were high up though. Once they were on, she worked on cutting their long and matted hair. Catelyn's was shopped to had shoulders, and she'd cut Robb's in a similar style to Edmure's. She'd also brushed through it the best she could to remove the tangles. 

"That should do the trick. Only people who were close to you both would recognise you. When you're ready, send for his Grace and he will take you both to where he is staying."

The family left after this and Robb frowned in confusion. Jon said it would only take a few hours to get there, but Dragonstone was in Blackwater Bay which was hundreds of miles away. How would they get there- no. Surely not. Nerves bubbled up inside of him in anticipation. Jon was going to take them back on his dragon. How big was it? What colour was it? Would it be able to carry the three of them comfortably? What was Dragonstone like? Robb had never been before, and he wasn't sure if his mother had either. It was a relatively big island with a few villages and a small town if he remembered from his lessons correctly. The castle built into the side of the mountain on it and rising high in the clouds. An hour later, both were more than ready to leave this place and they asked a servant to fetch Jon. 

He appeared not long after and gestured them to follow him. It was strange not seeing any males walking the corridors of the Twins apart from a couple of servants. They were handed thick cloaks which was strange considering the warm climate of the Riverlands- a climate that would be warmer on Dragonstone. Seeing his mother walking around in breeches was a sight he never thought he would see, but if his hunch were correct on their mode of transport, they would be better suited. Small talk happened between them as they got further away from the Twins, wondering where he was taking them. He got his answer as they came across an open field where a giant beast thought to be extinct was curled up. 

This must be Rhaegal. He was a dark green in colour, and he had swirls of bronze on him as well. Catelyn and Robb both froze in shock as it lifted its head before running over in excitement towards Jon. He laughed merrily before reaching a hand to pet his snout, a loud purr coming from him. A sound that was completely out of place on something so large. Hesitantly, Robb reached his hand as well and the dragon sniffed him curiously before doing the same with Catelyn.

"He likes you both."

A wing was lowered and with a loud gulp, Robb pulled himself on with Jon's help. Catelyn was more hesitant than he was, but she sat in front of her son. It was surprisingly comfortable, his spikes almost acting like training saddles to get used to being atop a horse. Jon pulled himself in front with ease, clearly having done this often. 

"Either hold onto the spikes or hold on to me, whichever you prefer. And put the cloaks on, the wind as we're flying will be very cold."

Both pulled cloaks on at this before hesitantly holding onto one another waists. Jon said something in a language he didn't recognise before the dragon began running. He closed his eyes as it opened its wings and before he could blink it seemed, they were in the air. It was only after a few minutes had passed that he finally opened his eyes. The sight immediately took his breath away. He'd never been so high before in his life, and the feeling was incredible. The dragon was moving almost gracefully through the air. The wind was bitingly cold like Jon said, and he was glad he'd given them cloaks. He could see numerous towns below him and he could see the Narrow Sea as well. Multiple castles as well, Harrenhal from above still being imposing. One dragon took that castle down, that was incredible. The wind steadily got warmer the further south they went and it only felt like an hour had passed before the dragon began his descent. As the clouds broke over the area, he realised they were above water and there was a large island below. That must be Dragonstone. The dragon landed equally as gracefully as it flew into a large field high above the ground. All followed Jon in sliding off, their legs shaking violently at what they had just done.

"This field was made for dragons landing when the castle was built. The exit leads directly into it. Rhaegal, go find your brother boy."

With a soft pat, the dragon took off into the sky again to go to another area of the island. The field was closed off and the exit led to a pathway to a large black building. His eyes trailed up and widened massively as he took in the ancient Targaryen seat. The only piece of Valyrian architecture that was in Westeros. The corners of the walls were carved into dragons and the gargoyles were also in varying sizes. An elderly man walked into the field now and he was shocked at seeing Jon. His brother walked over to him and greeted him joyfully before leading him over. When Catelyn caught his face, her eyes widened in remembrance. This man was previously hand to Stannis, how was he now hand to Jon?

"Your son is safe, Ser Davos. He's taking over after an urgent family matter came to light. I'm sure you'll recognise my aunt, and this is my cousin Robb."

"Your Grace, I thought they were killed in the wedding?"

"Apparently not. Walder kept them separated from the other prisoners and hostages. I recognised them both immediately. I've already caught them up on everything. Go and find my sister, brother, and wife please."

He bowed his head at the order before heading into the castle. Jon led them inside too and led them into a grand room. He asked them both to sit and told a servant to bring up food for six straight away. Catelyn and Robb were nervous, they were coming face to face with Arya and Bran after many years apart. Two people they thought were dead but had somehow survived despite the odds. 

"This is the room I've been sharing with my wife until we decide where to relocate. Make yourselves comfortable."

"When is Sansa due to arrive? And where was she coming from?"

Jon took off his own cloak and pinned a broach to his chest. A roaring dragon and a snarling direwolf in the centre. 

"She should be here within the week, it's a long journey from White Harbour to Dragonstone. The Bolton's rebuilt Winterfell and that's where she has been residing. She wants nothing more to do with the south after what she went through."

The door opened wide and they snapped their heads over to see who it was. Robb and Catelyn's eyes bugging out at the beauty of the woman in front. Jon smiled brightly before walking over to pull her in tightly for a hug and kissing her gently. This must be Daenerys. She was surprisingly short, her hair a silvery white styled in a complicated braid with bright violet eyes. Jon led her over towards them and Robb noticed she was nervous.

"My Queen, this is my aunt Catelyn and older brother Robb. Walder didn't kill them, kept them separated from all the other prisoners."

Immediately, her doe eyes widened before smiling deeply at them. 

"It's wonderful to meet more of my husband's family. I can't imagine what you've both gone through in those cells. You're welcome to stay here as long as you need to."

Catelyn noticed her eyes were rapidly filling with tears and with a confused look at Jon, he understood.

"I'm her only family member left. Her first husband killed her brother after he threatened to cut her unborn child from her. She never thought she would have a family but due to us being married, she now has one. And we have one of our own on the way."

His palm rested gently on her stomach which had protruded a little bit considering she was only a few weeks into her pregnancy. Robb could see in his brother's expression that he loved her to pieces and she did too. Just thinking that her own brother threatened to cut her child from her was disgusting, clearly taking after his father in madness. 

"I'm honoured to have a niece, your Grace. I look forward to spending more time with you and repenting all my mistakes."

"Aunt, there is no need for titles. We are family, after all. If it's any consolation, I forgave you long ago for your treatment."

The door opened again and this time it was a young woman pushing a chair with a young man in it. As soon as their eyes caught, the woman stopped what she was doing and ran straight to Robb. Gods, she had grown. She wasn't his wild little sister anymore. Still looking a lot like Jon and their father, but he could see some of Catelyn's features in her face.

"I thought you were dead. I saw them parading around with Grey Wind's head on a body. I thought it was you- "

She burst into tears at this as Jon walked over to push the person in the chair over. How old were they now? Bran was ten and eight, and Arya was now twenty considering her name-day wasn't long ago. 

"I missed you Arya, so much. But you avenged us all anyway."

He didn't expect her to start laughing as she further buried her head into his chest. If she was reacting like this with Robb, what had she been like when she saw Jon again? She was always the closest to him out them all. His eyes trailed to Bran now and he realised what Jon had meant by him barely showing emotion. His face was blank but he did noticed some tears building up in his eyes. Catelyn immediately threw her arms around her little boy and he reciprocated hesitantly. 

"How did you get out of Winterfell?"

"Osha, Hodor, and maester Luwin hid us in the crypts. They brought us food frequently and when we got the chance, we escaped. Theon tried to track us, but Osha was a step ahead considering she was used to being tracked. She died trying to save Rickon from Ramsay, and Hodor died saving us all when the dead came for us. Luwin was stabbed fatally by one of Theon's men and left to die, Osha put him out of his misery."

Over the next couple of hours, stories were shared between them all alongside multiple tears. It was only when it was pitch black outside that the King and Queen said they were going to retire for the night. Arya stood up now and led them to where they would be staying in the meantime. Just like the royal chamber, these two rooms were extravagant.

"These were Rhaenys and Visenya's rooms. Bran and I are in the next two rooms down if you need us."

Despite them keeping it quiet, it didn't take long before people realised who was in the castle. There had been dozens of shocked looks and disbelief, but there was no denying it. The King wouldn't retract on his mission unless it was serious, and this was. In those few days, a plan was drawn up to begin restoration of Kings Landing, giving instructions that the area where the Red Keep once stood was to be made into a meeting place much like the dragon pit they all met in when they treated with Cersei. Word arrived five days later of an approaching ship with Stark banners on it. Robb and Catelyn stayed in their rooms as Jon, Arya, Daenerys, and Bran went to meet Sansa. 

She stepped onto the beach not long after, her grey dress billowing around her feet and her auburn hair tied into a neat ponytail. Her sworn sword by her side carrying her sword that was originally a part of Ice and wearing the armour Jaime Lannister gifted her. Sansa was confused as her brother and goodsister led them up to the royal quarters but she got her answer quickly when she saw who was in the room.

"Mother? Robb?"

Catelyn immediately began crying as she took in her eldest daughter. She was taller than her now, and she looked so much like her when she was her age. She immediately ran for them and tackled them to the ground which caused Jon to let out a loud laugh.

"Why did you not tell me?!"

"I only found them a few days ago, sister. They were being held hostage in the Twins. That's why I came back and charged Devan to oversee the release of hostages."

She glared at him sternly before realising he was telling the truth. 

"Brienne?"

The older woman looked to the female Sansa had tackled and recognition seeped in.

"My Lady, we all thought you had been killed. I've sworn myself to your daughter- "

"And you will continue to serve my daughter. You've done her a lot of good. Thank you, for keeping her safe when I couldn't do so."

Neither of them thought this day would come. Being reunited with most of the family again. It was strange not having Rickon or Ned there, but the Stark's lived. They were never separating again, or at least, not for a long time. Robb and Catelyn presumed Arya and Bran were dead, and everyone presumed Robb and Catelyn were dead after what Walder Frey was saying. Sansa was now practically curled into Catelyn's lap which was a funny image considering the younger was multiple inches taller than her mother now, but nobody cared about that. 

"I missed you mummy."

The older woman caressed her daughter's auburn hair gently at this.

"I missed you too my little wolf. How did you escape Kings Landing and Cersei? Speaking of that, how did you escape Arya? You just disappeared!"

Both girls now pulled away from their missing relatives and sat down at the table.

"A man called Yoren found me. Father suspected something was going to happen when he confronted Cersei so he asked someone he trusted to find me if that was the case. He tried to find Sansa but Cersei was quicker with her unfortunately. He took me with a bunch of prisoners travelling to the wall and disguised me as a boy which wasn't that difficult considering I've always acted more like a boy than a girl. We were captured by people who took us to Harrenhal where they were torturing people. I was temporarily Tywin's cupbearer but he never recognised me. Or if he did, he never acted on it. I ended up saving the lives of three people and I found out one of them was a faceless man from Braavos. He offered to take me back to the free city to learn how to do so myself, but I refused. Then the brotherhood and a lot of my friends I made during that time got killed. They ended up capturing the Hound and gave him a trial which he walked freely from. After a scuffle, he grabbed me and took me as his prisoner/apprentice whatever. He first tried to get me to you both, I saw what they did. That's why I was so certain you were both dead because they paraded a body around in Robb's clothing with Grey Wind's head sewed on to where his was. He knocked me out and then tried to ransom me to Aunt Lysa, but she was dead when we arrived, pushed through the moon door by Petyr Baelish- "

"Petyr?! Why would he do that? He was like a little brother- "

"He acted like a little brother to you mother, but he did all he could do to be the person on top."

Catelyn's eyebrows creased in concentration as she tried to think on things. She trusted the man, but then pieces fell into place. Him telling her the knife that was going to be used to open Bran's throat belonged to Tyrion Lannister who was adamant it did not belong to him. Him telling her if she released Ser Jaime she would get Arya and Sansa back- he had neglected to tell her one of her girls was long out of the capital by that point.

"Anyway, after this happened we wandered around the Vale for a while, not knowing where we were going or what we were doing. Then Brienne showed up and tried to protect me. In the year or so I spent with the Hound, I oddly ended up caring for him and I didn't want to leave him. They got into a brutal fight which I believe you bit his ear off if I'm remembering correctly?"

All eyes turned to Brienne now who blushed in embarrassment, confirming she had done that.

"Whilst the fight was going on, I managed to hide. She didn't find me after that. I found the Hound at the bottom of a cliff which he either fell from or Brienne pushed him from. He was injured badly, but I couldn't bring myself to kill him. I took his pouch of gold and went east, got on a ship near Gulltown and went to Braavos. The man I saved that day gave me a coin only the faceless men use and with that I gained access to the house of black and white. I stayed there for almost two years where I learned a lot of things they do, but I didn't stay to complete training. It involved completely letting go of one's identity, which I couldn't bring myself to do. 

"I came back to Westeros knowing that Tommen was King, but he was dead before I arrived. Threw himself out of a tower. I took out Walder Frey myself and then proceeded to poison the rest of them. I stayed at an inn that night where one of my friends who escaped Kings Landing with had stayed on to become the main cook. We chatted for a long time and I told him I intended to go and kill Cersei. That's when I found out that Cersei had declared herself Queen and that Jon had been proclaimed King by the northern Lords. I knew then I couldn't go south, not when Jon was nearby alongside Sansa. By the time I got back to Winterfell, Jon had already left to come here but Sansa was still there.

"I helped her out as much as I could but everyone at the table knows I'm not exactly a Lady. But I became an excellent judge of character and I was taught how to tell a lie immediately. Petyr Baelish when he killed aunt Lysa gained control of the Vale and they joined in the fight for Winterfell with these two. I knew he was telling lies but I couldn't prove it without concrete evidence other than assumption. I didn't even need to do anything because he ended up digging his own grave. He hid the letter Sansa sent to you under duress asking you to go south to bend the knee to Joffrey which I found. I confronted her and she was so confused as to why I had it. This and the fact he somehow got it into his head I wanted to depose her so I would be Lady of Winterfell which set warning bells off for Sansa.

"With Bran's ability, we were able to find out the truth of everything. It was all him, all of it. It was him who told Brandon aunt Lyanna was kidnapped when really all he saw was her leaving with Ser Arthur. It was him who told Robert when he was back in the Vale. It was him who paid an assassin to open Bran's throat with his knife and blame it on Tyrion. It was him who told Lysa to put tears of Lys in Jon Arryn's wine and he convinced her to send that raven to you and father telling you it was the Lannister's. It was him who paid the gold cloaks to arrest father in the capital despite promising him they would come to his aid. It was also him who poisoned Joffrey and he stood by and let Cersei blame Tyrion and Sansa for it. Whilst that was going on he smuggled Sansa out only to sell her to the Bolton's- "

"Arya, I'll explain that part."

The smaller breathed in deeply before nodding.

"Anyway, there was more than enough evidence to convict him and we held a trial. Made it look like Sansa had put me on trial then we sprung our trap. He denied all of them at first, but as soon as Bran said some of the words he said, he immediately went pale and began shaking, which proved his involvement. I executed him myself, slit his throat with the same blade he gave the assassin to kill Bran. Things were somewhat peaceful for a while before we heard that Jon had arrived in White Harbour with an extremely large army. He arrived at the gates roughly a week later and we began planning for the big fight. I didn't believe it until I saw it, I don't think Sansa did either. She isn't a fighter so I gave her the knife so if worst came to worst she could defend herself. I was up on the ramparts alongside Lyanna Mormont. She managed to take on a giant despite being three and ten name-days. 

"I was chased through the castle before I made it to the courtyard where Jon was facing off against an undead Viserion. He was steadily getting closer to it as that and the walkers themselves were the main priorities. With the dragon distracted, I managed to slip into the godswood where Bran was alongside a few loyal supporters. Alys Karstark, a few of the Free Folk, a couple of lesser Lords, and Theon Greyjoy. All were slaughtered within seconds and he went to get Bran. I ran at him intending to jump and stab him through the head, but he caught me mid-air. But during my training with the faceless men, I was taught how to use both hands equally well. I switched hands and in that moment of confusion, I stabbed him through the heart. I could barely breath after that and I was covered in blood, but then Jon came in and pulled me in tightly to his chest.

"I wanted to kill Cersei myself, and the Hound who ended up there to fight alongside us wanted to go to kill his brother for what he did to him when he was a boy. We travelled to Kings Landing together. He succeeded to killing his brother but he had to sacrifice himself to do it. Whilst I was looking for Cersei, I heard Qyburn- "

"Qyburn?! The same man Talisa saved?!"

Arya simply nodded at this, Robb now seething in anger.

"He was talking with a pyromancer and giving orders to set it off. I knew if I stayed I would be gone so I rounded up as many people as I could and got them down into the hidden tunnels before taking them somewhere I hoped would be safe. Then the blast happened. I never saw the fight between our army and Cersei's army, but I did see Daenerys taking out all the scorpions. The entire castle was lost, as was Flea Bottom, Merchant's Square, and that expensive area I never knew the name of. And here I am."

All were quiet as they took in her words. Her story was a lot shorter than Jon's was, but it was still filled with action. She had trained as an elite assassin? All hesitantly turned to Sansa now and Robb noticed Jon was holding her hand tightly as she was shaking. What had she gone through?

"You don't need to- "

"Yes, I do, they deserve to know what happened to me. And don't you dare command me as my King Jaehaerys- "

"Gods don't call me that. I hate that name."

Arya chuckled lowly in her throat at this, that being their favourite way to annoy their older brother since they found out. Even Robb joined in on the laughter, clearly seeing how uncomfortable he was with it. He was renamed then, clearly his father was smarter than he let on.

"I don't know where to start really. I suppose it would be best to do so from the moment father died. I was stood on the steps beside him, the guards, Cersei, and Joffrey when it happened. By this point I knew what Joffrey was as he'd had his guards beat me and on one occasion tore my clothes off in front of hundreds of people. I begged him to show mercy by letting him take the black to be with Jon, something Cersei agreed with. I went in there fully expecting that to happen but then he called us soft women and ordered they take his head. Cersei tried to stop him, but he backhanded her and order Ser Ilyn to do the deed. I was screaming, crying, thrashing, the whole lot.

"That night, he forced me to look at his head atop a spike on the wall surrounding the castle, alongside Septa Mordane's, Vayon Poole's, and lots of others I recognised. I never found out what happened to Jeyne, she disappeared when it all happened and I still don't know what happened. I just hope she never suffered. I was taken hostage after this and had guards at my door day and night and with me everywhere I went. I was forced to write that letter to mother and Robb. The only way I wasn't going to be would be for the betrothal to be broken, but with father dead that couldn't happen without Cersei's permission. There was no way she was going to let such a valuable hostage out of her sight, so I was stuck. 

"I was kept out of a lot of the war, didn't know what was going on exactly. But I did know every time you won a victory Robb, whenever there was one, he would order one of his guards and even some of his Kingsguard to beat me until I was almost unconscious. He was adamant I knew something and he was determined to get it out of me. This carried on right up until Blackwater and I was locked in with a lot of the women and children alongside Cersei. She was drunk at that point and I noticed that when she was, she seemed to forget her hatred for me. She ended up giving me advice which I memorised quickly. After the battle was won, Margaery Tyrell came into the picture seeking a betrothal with Joffrey.

"He accepted it, which meant I was free. I thought I would go home then but the Hound talked sense into me. The beatings weren't as regular as they were beforehand though and I ended up growing close to Margaery despite her being a few years older than me. I was introduced to Olenna too and they saw right through the scared little girl act I was putting on. They offered to betroth me to the heir of Highgarden Willas. Yes, he's crippled, but it would get me out of the capital and somewhere safe so I accepted it. Before they could set it into motion though, Tywin got word of it and instead married me to Tyrion. Out of them all, he was the only one who was kind to me. He never forced me into anything and we never consummated the marriage.

"Then the wedding between Joffrey and Margaery came along. He was being his usual arrogant self and bragging about how they had won the war. He even hired dwarf actors to act out a play he had written depicting it to show it to everyone. Even Cersei was disgusted by that which was saying something. He destroyed the gift Tyrion got him with a sword that had been forged from Ice of all things in front of me, clearly to get a reaction from me. I refused to give him the satisfaction though. Then he drank his wine. A few minutes later he began coughing and we all thought he was choking on his pie. So, he drank more and the coughing got more violent before collapsing. With the chaos that was going on, Ser Dontos grabbed me and took me away to a part of the beach surrounding the Red Keep where Petyr Baelish was waiting with a small boat to take me to a ship.

"Once I was on the ship, he killed Ser Dontos before taking me to the Vale. Aunt Lysa took me in, but I soon noticed something was off about her. She married Petyr within days of us arriving and she seemed to make it her point to be as loud as possible when they coupled to make me uncomfortable. She got it into her head that I wanted to take him from her which I most certainly did not want. He gave me advice frequently and this only spurred her on. She began cornering me and accusing me of sleeping with him behind her back, refusing to understand that I was still a virgin. One day, I overheard them talking and that's when I knew she was the one who killed her husband. She did it so she could be with him and was furious he had instead gone to you mother. 

"She knew he had only come to her eventually because you were supposedly dead, but now I was there and I looked so much like you, she saw me as a threat. I was sitting in the main hall one day stitching something, I can't remember what now, when she opened the moon door. I didn't even notice at first until I felt the breeze hit me. Petyr came over and began talking to me again and she believed this was our 'secret spot', and he kissed me. I didn't kiss him back, I pushed him away, but she had saw enough. She ran down and tackled me, began hitting me, she called me a whore and dozens of other things. She was going to push me through the moon door but Petyr stepped between us so she couldn't do so and hugged her. He calmed her down before confessing he never loved her and he loved you all along mother and he would never stop doing so. Then he pushed her through.

"I now owed him two massive debts, and I knew he was a dangerous man after what I'd seen him do. He'd also confirmed he'd had a hand in Joffrey's murder, I couldn't make him out to be the bad guy with this. So, when we were questioned, I altered the story slightly. I kept all the main parts in but instead of saying she was pushed I said she had fallen. Which technically was true. He was let off after this and he instructed me to dye my hair dark as he was taking me somewhere I would be safe. Clearly the Vale wasn't as safe as he assumed by bringing me there. I did so, dyed my hair and eyebrows black so nobody could see my Tully colouring. If anything, I looked more like a Baratheon than a Stark."

She took a deep breath and by now she was shaking violently in her seat. Jon reached over but he was pushed away by his wife who pulled her in close. Despite the pair hating one another at first, neither could deny the similarities they had experienced and it tied them close to one another.

"He took me to the North, and he said he had struck a bargain with Roose Bolton. One of my debts to him had been paid by lying for him but there was still one more. I assumed he was going to marry me off to Roose but he confirmed he was married again to Walda Frey. Then he told me he was going to marry me to Ramsay. I'd never met him but I'd heard stories about him, nothing good. He told me that if I went through with it I could gain information to bring them both down and take back Winterfell. I couldn't deny the logic with that statement and I knew a lot of the northmen were still loyal to House Stark. So, I agreed to it. Winterfell had been mostly rebuilt but it wasn't exact to how it was beforehand.

"He had a mistress shall we say, someone he was going to marry were he not legitimised, and she hated me immediately. She took me to the kennels where his hunting dogs were and at the end of it all was Theon in a cage. The Theon I remembered was a cocky arrogant arsehole. Please excuse my language mother, but you cannot deny that. Some of his fingers had been removed and parts of his skin had been peeled off. I also found out he had been castrated. He was clearly being fed the bare minimum as he was practically skin and bone. I didn't know Bran and Rickon had escaped yet, so I walked away thinking he deserved what he got. 

"Then came the wedding night. The actual ceremony was over quickly, but the rest of it was not. He forced himself on me. He did this most nights and I learned to blank it all out, so he began beating me and making small incisions on my skin with his many knives. Never my face though, he needed my face to be pretty. I broke quickly and I begged Theon to help me escape, that's when he told me that when he tried to escape he was tortured too. He'd even convinced him his name was Reek and it was the only name he recognised. This carried on for a few more weeks and I once again begged him to help me get out. He knew some of the exits Bran and Arya knew about from running around constantly, told him we could use one of those. That's when he told me Bran and Rickon had gotten out and he didn't kill them.

"Things came to a standstill when Lady Walda gave birth to a boy. This meant Ramsay's legitimacy was on a thin wire as Roose now had an heir that was a trueborn from the moment he was born. Then Stannis Baratheon arrived and attacked with the little forces he had left which caused a panic. During all of this, I begged him once more to help me out. He refused at first, but then Myranda- Ramsay's mistress- threatened to shoot multiple arrows into me. Nowhere that would kill me, but enough to cause me pain. This snapped something into Theon and he pushed her over the barrier and ran with me. The snow was very deep, more than four feet, and we used this to our advantage.

"I knew Jon was at the Wall still and I knew he would shelter me, so we went North. We got about a day into it before Ramsay noticed I was gone and he sent his best cavalry and hunting hounds after us. They found us quickly after this but then Brienne came in. We'd met on my way to the North with Petyr but I refused to believe she was honest. She cut them all down including the hounds before ordering Theon and myself to take two of the horses left. He knew he wouldn't be welcomed by Jon, so he went west to go to Yara. We arrived a few days later, a day or two after Jon had been brought back. Not at one point did I see him as my half-brother at that point, I just saw my older brother who somehow never hated me despite all I had done to him. 

"By being in Winterfell again, I knew which houses were still loyal to the Stark's, and I managed to convince him to help. We went around all the houses there was from Mormont to Manderly to Flint. We gathered a decent sized army but it was a fraction of what the Bolton army was. I received a raven from Petyr, telling me he had the Vale knights at Moat Cailin in case they were needed. I didn't want to be in his debt further but I felt like he owed me for selling me to that monster, so I wrote to him. Jon knew what he had done, so I didn't tell him the Vale knights were coming. We won the battle but we lost Rickon doing so. In retaliation, I fed him to his own hounds. I watched the whole time, oddly enjoying watching him being ate alive.

"It was actually Lyanna Mormont who first called for him to be named King. A tiny girl two and ten name-days bossing about grown men was an amusing thing to see. I'd learned the politics of everything from being in the Red Keep for so long and then under Petyr. So, I helped him out considering he had no idea how to rule a Kingdom. Surprisingly, he didn't need much help, he was naturally good at it. We received the raven from Daenerys not long after and I counselled him against it at first. I didn't trust my friends anymore never mind strangers. I only trusted family. But we then received a raven from Jon's friend Sam who'd discovered there was a mountain of dragonglass on Dragonstone.

"I couldn't deny that we needed it, even though I didn't fully believe it. I knew something was out there, but I didn't believe it was white walkers and wights. You already know what happened in his absence from Arya so I'll not repeat it, there's nothing else to add to it really. When I received the raven from Jon telling me he had abdicated, I was furious with him for not consulting me first. I thought she had forced him or manipulated him into doing it but then they came through the gates and I saw this tiny woman who looked like she couldn't hurt a fly."

Daenerys snorted at that; her appearance was a total opposite of what she is.

"I was distrustful for good reasons and she confronted me one day. Stated she knew the look of someone who had been abused in horrific ways. I was incensed she said that but when I turned to her, I noticed the same look on her face. We talked for hours after that, and I saw the woman Jon had fallen head over heels for. I wasn't present for the fight, I stayed down in the empty corridors of the crypts with all those who couldn't fight. Some managed to get in but we all fought them off. But then they started to wake from the tombs and came in swarms. We did all we could but we were being slaughtered. Suddenly, they all fell in heaps of bone and rotting flesh. 

"Once we'd gathered all those who had died and burned them just in case there were any others around, but also for quickness as there were tens of thousands who died. Theon included, took a spear to his lower abdomen protecting Bran. I knew Jon and Dany had a big fight as they weren't talking to one another which was strange. That was when he called us to the godswood, and he told us the truth and why they were fighting. I knew they were both hurting with the confirmation, and I told Tyrion as he was her advisor and he deserved to know. But I didn't expect for him to go and tell Varys within hours who then tried to send ravens out to try and turn people against her. 

"I remained in Winterfell whilst they all went south to fight apart from Bran. With his abilities we knew exactly what was going on before any ravens were sent. When the war was won, we travelled down to help with planning things. When I arrived, I noticed these two stubborn idiots had worked things out and they got married a few days later. I stayed for the coronation before heading back to the North to oversee things. Bran decided to stay and this is the second time I've come down."

Arya did not hold in her snort as she saw the way Jon and Daenerys bristled at the insult, both opening their mouths to retort but with a quirked eyebrow from Sansa, both backed down.

"Don't deny it, the two of you are potentially the most stubborn people I've ever met. And that is saying something."

By the time Sansa had finished her tale, Catelyn was sobbing. Desperately trying to stop as she pictured her little girl going through all that. Even Robb was lost for words which was strange. He almost always had something to say. He opened his mouth to say something before closing it again. All he could think was good riddance she had gotten her revenge. Albeit in a very brutal way. He knew Jon was a killer, he now knew Arya was a killer, he himself was a killer, but he never expected it from Sansa of all people. Where had the little ten and three name-day girl who dreamt of gallant knights and golden Kings gone? In her stance was a battle-hardened woman he wouldn't have recognised were it not for her face. 

"Now I'm thinking of it, where is that black dread of yours? Haven't seen him once and he's not easy to miss."

Daenerys simply shrugged to show she had no idea. From the confused glare of the previous prisoners, she elaborated.

"Drogon is a free spirit, he does what he wants when he wants. But he's never harmed anyone that wasn't an enemy- at least not on purpose. Last I saw he was going south somewhere, probably likes the Dornish climate better as it's like Essos."

This did little to calm their nerves. Yes, they'd been atop Rhaegal a few days ago when they were brought here but knowing there was another wandering the continent free was something else. Her accent was a little strange, not sounding like it came from one place. This would make sense though as she spent years running from Robert Baratheon's assassins.

"Who is still alive? I think that's something we'll need to know."

From the quiet that came around from that, he knew it wasn't many. Sansa was biting her lip and Jon simply looked down to his lap for a moment.

"You, Arya, Sansa, and Bran are the only remaining Stark's. The Umber's are extinct, as are the Karstark's, along with the Bolton's. Wyman, Wynafred, and Wylla Manderly are alive, as are most of the Flint's but Donnel died in the battle of Winterfell. Meera and Howland Reed, Cerwyn's were eliminated in the war for the dawn apart from a female bastard. Glover's and Tallhart's also didn't survive. That's the main northern ones I can think of. We were hit the hardest during it all due to our location so the casualty's south was nowhere near as bad. Tyrion Lannister made it out although we haven't seen him since he found Cersei and Jaime's bodies, his friend Bronn made it out although I've no idea how that happened.

"Frey males are all gone, Brynden and Lysa are dead. House Arryn is dead because we found out that Robyn was not Jon's son and was in fact Petyr Baelish's, current House Hardyng has the Vale but when Harrold has a son he will name him Arryn and any other sons will be Hardyng. Mooton's are also dead as they came to help fight in the true war. Baratheon's were gone but we made the decision to legitimise Gendry to carry on the line. Martell's are all gone apart from a few of Oberyn's bastards but they're all girls so they cannot carry on the family name. And there might be more, we're still accounting for the dead now despite it being a few months later. That was the sheer scale of the catastrophe."

A pained wince escaped Robb at this. Bloody hell, that was bad. All the great houses took massive casualties, and they cannot come back from it all. 

"Robyn wasn't?"

"I'm afraid not, aunt. He didn't know, it was Yohn Royce who found out. A servant found a diary of Lysa's that was hidden behind a brick where she confirmed he wasn't Jon's. Apparently he suspected but we don't know for certain if he knew. He is currently fostering under Yohn. We were thinking about the possibilities of betrothing him to a daughter of Harrold's in the case he doesn't have any sons and carry on the Arryn's name that way, but it's not decided yet."

"Who is currently running Dorne and the Reach then? With no Martell's or Tyrell's?"

"We're up in air regarding the Reach. Currently they are being held by my friend Samwell Tarly until we find a suitable replacement considering he has begun acolyte training to become a maester. Dorne is currently held by Arianne and yes she carries the Martell name but she cannot carry on the line. We were possibly thinking the Dayne's. It's something that needs a lot of consideration though."

Neither could deny that fact. A lot of houses were going to go extinct or have already gone extinct. Names that have been on the radar for hundreds of years- some for thousands of years. Clearly the damage was terrible. 

"What about the Mormont's? Are there any of them still alive?"

"Last I heard only one lives but like most as she is a girl she cannot carry on the family name. The same also goes for Greyjoy. Yara is the last of them, but they're not a part of the seven Kingdoms. We are allies though, they no longer reave and rape and pillage. They can do that wherever they like, just not on the mainland."

"And it's self-explanatory for our house. Jon- or Jaehaerys despite him hating being called by his actual name- and myself are the last two Targaryen's. Yes, I'm with child, but anything could happen. Honestly, I thought I was barren for many years."

It was Catelyn who spotted the tears in her eyes.

"My mother had numerous miscarriages, had multiple other births but the babes only lived to be a few days old. And she died birthing me- "

"As did mine, Dany. When the time comes, we will get only the best Maester in Westeros and they will not leave your side. We will do all we can to ensure you survive the birth and our child is born healthy. I highly doubt they won't be with a mother as strong as you. You've been through things we can't even imagine and you're still standing here."

Robb was desperate to ask what her life was like and what led her to here, what she had done to reclaim her birth right. From the concerned look on his mother's face, he knew she wanted to ask too. They'd only heard horror stories about her and how ruthless she was and showed no mercy. But if she were like this, there was no way Arya, Sansa, or Bran would be sitting with her. Nor would there be a chance of Jon being married to her.

"Legitimising Gendry was a good idea. Have a Baratheon at Storm's End again ensures loyalty from that Kingdom. I think Arya would like that."

Jon went quiet for a moment before letting out a barking laugh as Arya reddened massively in embarrassment.

"We're not- "

"Arya, he proposed to you! He wants you and you clearly want him."

At first, Catelyn was incensed at the idea of Arya being with someone who was baseborn, but even she couldn't stop a smile coming onto her face as she watched her daughter turn into an interesting purple shade. Both in a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

"I don't want to be a Lady, which is what I would be if I accepted."

"Not necessarily, little wolf."

Everyone was stunned at Catelyn's words here, turning to her in confusion. Even Sansa was giving her an inquisitive look and she rarely let her stoic expression go anywhere when in public. Even with family.

"You could be named paramour; this means you wouldn't have a title other than our house. He wouldn't have an official Lady of the castle but you could still be with him."

"I thought paramour was a position only the Dornish used?"

This was what the others thought as well.

"It is mostly used by the Dornish, but there have been a couple of cases of houses of other Kingdoms doing so as well. It's uncommon and it is looked down on by quite a few, but not scandalous by any means."

Jon hummed lightly under his breath before eyeing Arya out the corner of his eye, noticing Sansa was doing the same. Even Bran had a small smirk playing on his face which was so out of place for him now. They're all used to seeing only a stern face on him now. This seemed to crack the young woman as she got up and walked out the room, desperately trying to hide her heated face. Once she was out of the room, all let out a small chuckle. Teasing Arya over Gendry had become one of their favourite pastimes since they had caught them weeks before.

"Have you both sent the plans for the restoration? And out of curiosity, what is the damage?"

Sansa almost cringed at the last part. It was no secret Robert Baratheon bled the treasury dry and took out massive loans. Loans that would've passed over to Jon and Dany. 

"When we were cleaning out the rubble, we found a lot of gold there. It was in boxes emblazoned by the Tyrell rose so it was obviously what was left when they sacked Highgarden. I'd imagine Cersei intended to use it to buy more sellswords but never got around to it. This alongside the trades with what was Slaver's Bay breaks us even if we include a castle. Without the castle, we'll have just shy of a million left over. Turns out Cersei did pay off all the loans her sons and husband racked up."

Sansa was pleasantly surprised by this, remembering something Cersei told her long before. The previous Queen stating not to pay a loan in full, this ensures the Iron Bank remain loyal. Apparently she ignored her own advice and went back on it, showing just how desperate she got to keep a hold of her crown. 

"Any decisions on who gets the abandoned castles now? There's plenty now."

Jon shrugged lightly at her question.

"Unfortunately, Tyrion promised his loyal sellsword Bronn a castle and a highborn Lady, therefore we do need to follow through on that. That man has a lot of connections and could use it against us all. He wants Highgarden, but he is not going to become the Lord Paramount of the area- "

"What about Horn Hill then? It's not as big as Highgarden. Only Melessa, Talla, and Samwell still live. The Tarly name is going to die out unless you legitimise Sam and Gilly's son as he is sworn to become a maester."

"We can't legitimise him as a Tarly, that would just be a massive insult to the Reach. It's not a bad idea to give him that. Once a house is sworn to the paramount position, if they are loyal to us he will need to remain loyal to you. Either that or death, and I don't think that man will want that any time soon. I'd imagine Catelyn and Robb will be coming back to Winterfell with you Sansa."

The other two simply nodded. When Catelyn first moved to the North, she had hated it. Despised the cold, never acclimated to the way of life, but it was the culture her children were raised under. It was only when Robb had begun his campaign through the Riverlands that she realised the Kingdom she resided from no longer felt like home to her. 

"Didn't the Iron born burn it down?"

"It wasn't the Iron born; it was the Bolton's who did. And they're extinct now. It's not the exact same, but it's close enough that it still feels like Winterfell. Neither me nor Dany have been for a while though, we do need to remain here to make sure everything is running decently. No, we're not going to make Dragonstone the place we will rule from, but it's certainly not going to be Kings Landing. We're thinking somewhere in the Vale. The mountains there are a natural defence structure. Somewhere central at least so northern Reach, southern Vale/Riverlands. But this isn't going to be for a few years. We need to build the treasury back up first before we do so. We cannot risk bankruptcy in the first couple of years in our reign, that will not look good to both highborn and smallfolk alike. People are naturally hesitant over Targaryen rule considering some of our ancestors, we need to prove ourselves before we do anything for our own enjoyment."

Catelyn now leaned forward and rubbed her fingers into her temples, finding this information almost too much to handle. Winterfell was burned down prior to the wedding, and not once did Roose confirm he had done it or had any part in it. Clearly the Bolton's were moving against the Stark's long before then. 

"So, we're decided that Bronn gets Horn Hill. Now we just need to find the arrogant jerk a highborn Lady- "

"Leave the matchmaking part of that arrangement to Tyrion. He's the one who made that stupid bargain with him anyway. That is when he finally shows his face, no one has seen him in weeks. Even though he despised Cersei, he did care for Jaime. He was the only one apart from Tommen and Myrcella who treated him like an equal. He took the children's deaths hard, but he took his brother's death hardest. He needs time to grieve. It's only him and a handful of cousins who remain of House Lannister now anyway. Cersei dealt with Kevan in the sept. Whether he likes it or not, he is now the head of House Lannister. I'd be willing to bet he's hiding out somewhere in the Westerlands and is using his new title to keep people quiet to his exact location."

No one could argue with that assumption, that did sound like something Tyrion would do. 

"Speaking of which, whilst I'm on the topic of my wayward hand, a gift for you Sansa. Your marriage with him is now officially annulled. All you must do is sign and stamp your personal seal. We'll do the rest. We won't force you into another marriage, but this does leave you open."

Robb snapped his head to his sister, trying to imagine her being married to the Imp of all people. No matter how hard he tried to do so, the image just would not conjure in his head. Tywin must've been desperate to do something as drastic as that. 

"What happened to Tywin? Obviously, he's dead if Tyrion is now the Lord of Casterly Rock, but how did he die?"

Sansa shared a side-eye with Daenerys at this but it was Brandon who answered the question.

"Tyrion did it. Tywin and Cersei manipulated his trial for Joffrey's murder to turn everyone against him. He knew this and called him out rightfully that he wasn't on trial for that but the shame he brought on the almighty house Lannister due to his deformities. He was sentenced to death after the Mountain cracked Oberyn Martell's skull open with his bare hands- an image I wish I'd never looked at as now I'll never forget it. Jaime realised too what his twin and father were doing and he freed him. Tyrion went to confront Tywin and found his whore-turned-paramour in his father's bed. This sent him into a rage and he shot with Joffrey's crossbow."

"Anyway, we need to hand these plans over to the builders to begin the reconstruction. The sooner we do so, the better."

Daenerys looked at her husband and nodded lightly. With that said, both King and Queen left the room. A few minutes later a loud roar was heard and soon a green dragon was seen flying across the Blackwater with Jon on its back. Clearly, the Queen wasn't going with him. Probably being told to not do any dangerous activities whilst pregnant. 

"Never thought Jon would be King and married to Daenerys fucking Targaryen of all people- "

"Language Robb!"

Sansa chuckled at this, enjoying the small banter it brought to the dreary day outside. 

"He says the same constantly too. I think a part of him is still in denial about it. But I meant what I said, he just seems to be naturally good at leadership of both people and in battle. And he does genuinely care for his people, as does Dany. But gods they are stubborn, I don't know how they agree on things at times. Some people say they're the new Jaehaerys and Alysanne, which is quite the compliment."

Robb's eyebrows rose at this, that was a compliment. The old Targaryen King and Queen had the longest reign out of all the family, and they were loved by many. Perhaps it was a new age for Westeros, perhaps they will be at peace again for a long time. This isn't something that can be said for a long time though. All it takes is one misstep for everything to tumble- something Robb knew very well as he had made that misstep. 

"I'm glad you're both alive, and I know you've been through a lot and everything is now being thrown at you head on. But peace has been made now, and I do believe we are heading into a new era. I'm sorry mother, for not leaving when father told me to. Arya did, but I wanted to stay. If I hadn't, you wouldn't have needed to make such hard decisions. And Robb, I'm so sorry for you. I heard what happened to her, I wish I could've met her. But I will say that it was a fucking stupid move to break your oath like you did. We've all made terrible mistakes. All we can do is move on from it."

She squeezed his hand across the table at this. Neither were used to seeing her like this, being the politician that she now is. If they didn't see her face, they would've said it was not her. But she was right. It was a new age; the realm appears to be at peace and is being pieced back together. There is now a King and Queen who don't appear to be power hungry. What happened to get to this point no longer matters. Just as they thought this, the silver-haired Queen walked back into the room.

"Not letting you go again?"

From the way her violet eyes rolled in their sockets, clearly annoyed- they knew what Sansa said was true.

"It's not that I'm grateful he's so considerate, it's that I'm not incapable. He knows the Dothraki still ride until they're eight months gone- and I was with them for a long time. Some of their culture is a part of me now. He'll be back by nightfall; he's doing the accounting needed so we can send food resources to those starving."

She switched to another language and spoke to a man Robb had only just noticed. Wearing light armour, carrying a long spear, and the spiked helm that identified him as an unsullied soldier. He nodded before leaving the room.

"How many languages do you speak?"

It was Sansa who asked the question, with a bit of incredulousness. 

"Fluent in common, high Valyrian, and Dothraki. Can speak bastard Valyrian and the differing dialects well but not fluently. I can stumble through old Ghiscari. Missandei was the one to beat, she could speak nineteen fluently at the age of thirteen."

A few people bit their lips and averted their gazes elsewhere, which confused Robb and Catelyn massively. Clearly whoever this Missandei was, was a sore spot for everyone. Was she one of the friends Jon told them had died when Cersei blew up most of Kings Landing? 

"Grey Worm is heading for the kitchens to ask for food to be brought up, I'd imagine you both have reservations regarding me."

Robb bit his lip tightly at this, remembering all the stories he heard about her. Of how she had burned multiple people alive with her dragons and generally wreaking havoc in Essos. 

"Just as long as there aren't any candied locusts, I'll stay away from Meereenese delicacies please."

A few people scrunched their noses up at this. Give them pies loaded with game and spices over literal bugs. 

"I suppose I'd better tell you my story then, so you know everything that happened. I'm aware that some things I did were embellished for lack of a better word here."

Two pairs of eyes looked everywhere but at her, but strangely she didn't seem to take offense to it. Or if she did, she was incredibly good at hiding it. 

"As you'll already know, my mother died birthing me. Just before she did, she asked Ser Willem Darry to take myself and my brother Viserys across to Essos. Already knowing that Robert had given Dragonstone to Stannis. He took us to Braavos first and I hardly remember it. I can remember the scent of Willem's sickness, I remember there was a lemon tree outside my bedroom window, there was a large red door. I think we were there until I was around five, possibly six. But Robert found out our location and he sent assassins after us. We barely escaped, didn't have any time to grab anything other than absolute necessities as they lit the house on fire. 

"Ser Willem had died not long before this, and the servants took care of us. Although I suspect now it was one of them who alerted him to our whereabouts. Viserys and I hid in an alley and watched as it burned in front of us. When it burned out, we tried to go back, only to notice the servants ransacking whatever was left. Robbing us of the little possessions we had. I don't remember words that were spoken as I was so young, but they eventually left. We rummaged through the wreckage, but nothing remained. We'd managed to grab some pieces of jewellery before we escaped but that was it. Our mothers crown, her ring she got from my grandmother Shaera, a signet ring, plus a few gemstones. 

"For years we moved from place to place. Myr to Tyrosh, Tyrosh to Braavos again, Braavos to Lys, Lys to Volantis. We never stayed in each for longer than a few months at a time. I never saw any of the assassins other than the first one, Viserys somehow managed to shield me from it all. We were sleeping on the streets with nothing but rags for clothes, begging for food and water. We even got to the extent of boiling saltwater so we could drink that, that was how bad it was. Then when I was nine, we ran out of the little money we had, and we had to sell some of the possessions we had. First it was the signet ring, then it was the gemstones, and lastly my mother's crown. I'd never told Viserys I had our grandmothers ring, I told him I'd dropped it whilst we were moving from city to city.

"That was the final straw for my brother, and something snapped in him. Gone was my kind brother who did everything he possibly could to protect me and in his place was a stranger. He began beating me, denying me food whenever I talked back to him, began ranting and raving every other day of how he was going to take back Westeros for us. So, he started taking me around the cities where sellsword companies were, all denying us. Even the leader of the Golden Company spat in his face when he asked for assistance. People began finding out where we were more and more often, and some offered to shelter us in their homes. At the time I was grateful for it, but I now know it was for bragging rights on their end. But we had a roof over our heads, and we had food aplenty, it was a lot better than sleeping on a street where it was raining heavily."

By now, the food had arrived. Much to Sansa's delight, no candied locusts in sight. Instead, there was freshly roasted quail covered in a thick gravy with onions roasted so much they crunched loudly once bitten into. Catelyn could see the pain in the young woman's eyes, trying to imagine being in her shoes but always coming up empty handed.

"For the next seven years, this happened. Jumping from place to place, always days or in some cases hours ahead of assassins sent after us. When I was sixteen, we found ourselves in Pentos under the care of Magister Illyrio Mopatis. He was considered a disgrace amongst Magister's, but I don't know the extent of it. He fed my brother lies about how people were praying for our return and they were having secret toasts to us. I mistrusted the man but Viserys lapped it up. Then my brother told me he'd struck a deal with the Dothraki. They'd give him an army with a small cost- me wedding Khal Drogo. I didn't want to do so, but my brother terrified me. I've not always been as strong as I am now, a kitten probably would've been braver than I was then.

"So, I went through with it. The first month was the worst. My husband and I didn't share a tongue, so we had to speak with translators. He was almost double my age and nearly two feet taller than me. But I came into myself, began accepting the fact I'd been placed into a place of leadership. I grew confidence, and in time I did come to love Drogo deeply. I learned the language and attempted to teach him common or high Valyrian, but I failed miserably with that. Then I found out I was pregnant. This was the kicker for my brother, which sent him spiralling even more into madness. Since I was carrying the Khal's child, I was being given more respect, respect my brother believed should've been his, and he resented me for it. 

"I adapted well to their ways, and I tried to get him to adapt too. He pinned me to the ground and in a moment of anger I grabbed a belt and whacked him so hard that he stumbled back with a cut on his face from where I'd hit him. If it weren't for Ser Jorah walking in, there was a fair chance he would've at the least caused me to miscarry. He didn't look at me for weeks after this, travelling to Vaes Dothrak which is their sacred city. In the city, it is considered the worst sin imaginable to carry a weapon in a threatening way. Simple spars are fine, but if any blood is spilled- that is a big no. 

"I was gifted my dragon eggs by Illyrio as a wedding present. They have a ritual for pregnant Khaleesi's which I won't go into details on as it's not pleasant. Viserys snapped at seeing them treating me with respect and practically spitting on him. He snuck away and tried to steal the eggs, but Jorah stopped him doing so. Instead, he went off and got horribly drunk. I didn't see him for two days, but when I did- he literally was insane at that point. Nothing remained of the brother I knew as a child. He unsheathed his sword and he held it to my pregnant belly. Threatening that he was going to cut my son out of me if he wasn't given the army he was promised- which he wasn't promised. My husband did not take kindly to this and he ordered his blood riders to seize him. They broke his arms and legs so he couldn't escape and I watched as my husband melted down a few of the golden discs on his belt until they were completely liquified before pouring it over my brother's head. I expected to feel guilt, but I didn't- I only felt relief."

Robb's lips curled in a little as she described this, trying to imagine despising a sibling so much that it would be a relief to watch them boil alive in front of oneself. But if she spoke the truth, he practically became a stranger to her, her no longer recognising him as her brother. He watched intently as Sansa reached a hand over to squeeze hers for a moment, offering her some support.

"A couple of months passed after this, and I grew more confidence in myself in that time. We made our way to the Eastern Markets where vendors and traders travel from all over to go to. The Dothraki don't believe in money, but they believe in trade and gifts. I was having a great time, eating candied plums, and sipping on sweet Dornish wine, introducing some of my handmaidens to Westerosi culture and they were loving it. Then we came across a wine trader. He first offered me a wine I cannot remember the name of, but when he recognised me he offered me a barrel of Arbor Gold. I was still rather naïve so I didn't think anything on this, but Ser Jorah did. He stopped me from taking it and ordered the vendor drink it first. I didn't click on straight away that it was laced with poison, but it did when he began running away. 

"My husband and his bloodrider's caught him not long after. I was taken to a temple still shaken that one had gotten so close to me and I'd been blind to it. It had been about a decade since I'd last seen one of Robert's assassins, I think a part of me thought my brother was exaggerating and was just paranoid. But that made it obvious he was being honest with that at least. They tied the assassin against a pole and slowly killed him. As he was dying, something clicked in Drogo's mind, understanding just how dangerous it was being married to me. He was ambitious, and he loved me fiercely, he was not going to sit back and watch his pregnant wife be followed by assassins everywhere she went. He promised me that he was going to go to Lhazar to recruit men to get a bigger army, and then start trading for a little gold, and use this gold to buy ships- or wooden horses as the Dothraki call them. 

"We made our way to Lhazar, and I was shocked at what I saw. The Lhazareen are peaceful people, even sharing the same god the Valyrian's of Old did before they tamed dragons and made a new religion. I won't be stupid and say I agree with the Dothraki on everything because I don't. Raping and pillaging are something I do not agree with under any circumstances. But it is their culture, and they took many women and mounted them then and there like a hound takes a bitch. That was when I did something stupid. I claimed the women for myself as personal slaves- but only in name. They were in truth people I took under my wing to stop my people from hurting them. Drogo wasn't pleased, but he hated refusing me what I wanted, so he let me do it. The others though- they did not take kindly to me doing that.

"So much so that one rightfully claimed that I had him wrapped around my finger. I was offended at the time, but I'll admit now that I did. My husband took great offense to this and challenged the man to single combat. He killed the man by ripping his tongue out after sliding into his neck with the other man's arakh, but the other man got a serious wound on my husband. Drogo was stubborn, and he thought it was simply a scratch. I didn't want to argue with him so I left it at that. But days passed the wound festered, and one day he fell from his horse. This is practically a death sentence to the Dothraki, if their leader couldn't remain atop a horse then he was no fit leader. I knew I had to do something.

"So, I asked one of the Lhazareen to help who talked regularly of how she was a healer and had helped numerous people. Her name was Mirri Maz Duur. I agreed for her to help and she made herb pastes and cleaned the wound and even stitched it up. He perked up after a couple of days, but it didn't last for long. A week later he fell again, and this was the kicker. More than thirty-five thousand left through the night to start a new Khalasar with a new leader, only a couple of thousand remained with me. I finally admitted to myself my husband was going to die and I begged Mirri to try once again as I didn't want to lose him. She brought his stallion into our tent and slit its throat for its blood. I'd not been exposed to blood magic until then, but what remained of the Khalasar had, and more left. A fight broke out, which led to me falling and going into labour with my son. 

"Those who remained weren't midwives, and there wasn't anyone who was experienced enough with pregnancies to healthily deliver a baby being born early. I was seven months pregnant. Jorah carried me into our tent and I passed out almost immediately. When I woke, only around two hundred people remained beside me. I asked to be handed my son, and that was when I was told he was stillborn. They didn't even let me see him, had already burned him in the Dothraki fashion whilst I was unconscious. I was heartbroken, and then Mirri told me that only death pays for life. She'd said it right before she killed his stallion the night prior, and I thought that was what she had meant. But her saying it a second time confirmed she'd tricked me into giving my sons life for my husbands.

"I was disgusted, and I demanded she take me to Drogo to see what I'd traded. He was alive, but that was it. He was breathing, but he couldn't see, couldn't move on his own, couldn't speak, couldn't hear. I asked for him to be brought to a spare tent, not wanting to go near our own ever again after what had happened. I ordered those remaining to seize Mirri and she walked away laughing over it all. It took me two days to finally realise that he was gone to me, and Mirri gave me a prophecy that I would never bare another child. I grabbed a pillow, and I placed it over his face. I was crying the whole time I was doing it, but I knew it was cruel to keep him alive when he could do nothing for himself. 

"The night after I asked for a pyre to be built as their custom dictates, and I asked for them to tie Mirri to a stake attached. They lit the fire. At first she was singing, but the moment the flames reached her she began screaming. But I blocked it out, I knew what I had to do. I'd asked for them to place the eggs within the pyre, and I stepped into it. People tried to stop me from doing so, but I'm impervious to intense heat and flames. I don't know why, but I am. When the pyre finally burned out and all that remained were scorch marks on the ground, I stood up from the centre. Naked, with my hair burned off, and three baby dragons. Those that remained knew what this meant, and they bowed to me in seconds."

Silence overcame them all for a few moments at this, and Robb noticed that Sansa was holding her hand tightly. He could see out the corner of his eye that his mother was crying, but it was very minimal. Steadily, she drank some of the honeyed milk that had been set out for her considering alcohol would not be good for the baby.

"I'm not too sure how familiar the two of you are with Essos. But Lhazar is wedged between the Valyrian peninsula and the Dothraki Sea. I couldn't go west because I knew I would be walking into a pit of assassins. I couldn't go south because frankly, only someone insane would go to where my ancestral home lay. And I couldn't go north as it was expected of me to go to Vaes Dothrak and be Dosh Khaleen. I knew I was meant for something the moment the eggs hatches, and the few that were with me understood that. We only had one option, go east. We walked for weeks, maybe even months, I can't remember. There is a reason said area is called the Red Waste, it's nothing but dried desert for days in all directions. Some horses were left when the others abandoned us after Drogo died, and we first butchered them down.

"It didn't take long until we had no food left. And we got to a point where it was a miracle if we came across any water. It got to the point that some of them took to drinking blood from animals to quench thirst. I never did that though. I eventually realised we needed to do something when my mare collapsed from the heat, passing only moments later. It broke me to have her butchered down, but we needed food. Once we'd had our fill, I charged three blood riders to ride out in search for somewhere. One north-east, one straight east, and one south-east. About a week later, one of their horses returned but with no rider. There was a bag attached to it that was rotten. Inside was their head. His wife was with me and she was inconsolable because a desecrated body to the Dothraki is a sign they will not go to the Night Lands. I did all I could to assure her but I honestly don't know if it worked.

"The one who went straight east did not return, I can only assume he got lost or the more likely, passed from malnourishment and sweltering heat. A few days after this, good news arrived. Rakharo came back, confirming there was a large city about three days away. The reason he stayed for a little longer was because he wanted to make sure it was okay. We headed out immediately. Four days later, we arrived at the gates of Qarth. One- if not the- wealthiest city in Essos. They have thirteen people who govern the city alongside warlocks and numerous other wonders. One of the thirteen was a man named Xaro, and he vouched for me and let us in. We were given food, water, clothing, and were finally able to bathe. We must've smelt horrid considering we hadn't done so in months. 

"The dragons were little more than cats at this point, and they hadn't learned how to fly yet, so I had to carry them around in boxes. They hated it, but it was the safest way to transport them. We remained there for a couple of months, and in that time I decided to try and use it to my advantage. I tried to trade to get ships, but I was turned down. I wasn't the meek little girl who cowered at everything anymore. One day during an argument with one of them who was insulting me over my age and the fact I don't have a cock, we walked into a courtyard where I noticed those who had travelled with me had been slaughtered. I panicked and immediately ran around, finding all of them dead, none alive. 

"When I walked into the room I was staying in, I noticed one of my handmaids on the ground with a scarf tied tightly around her neck. But something else had happened, the dragons were gone. The cages I had them in were smashed open. I was a wreck for days and I looked everywhere for them but came up empty handed. Then we had a meeting where I was accused of bringing bloodshed to the ancient city. No matter what objection I made, I was blown away. I got angry and demanded what had happened and an investigation to be held. I can't remember the exact order of events after this as it happened frighteningly quick. One of the warlocks- Pyat Pree- said they had my dragons in a tower called the House of the Undying."

Now, Robb felt his lips curl in. He'd heard that before from Talisa who had heard it from her wealthy father. It was not a place to be trifled with.

"Jorah accompanied me there and at first we couldn't see the entrance. He remained behind to talk to some people whilst I continued walking. I'm not sure if it's the Valyrian blood in me or not, but the entrance opened and I walked inside. It seemed to go on forever, dozens of doors all leading to somewhere else. I just took whatever want seemed right. Eventually, I got to a chamber, and I was shown a lot of visions. Dozens of them. One of me with Drogo and our son, one of Rhaegar and Elia, one of me beyond the wall, one of me in the throne room of the Red Keep with a collapsed ceiling and ash covering everything. Even one of you Robb, well, not exactly. One of a young man with a wolfs head where theirs should have been, with a crown atop it."

He staggered at this, and he spotted Sansa gawking at her as well. Clearly she had never told her this before and he could guess why. They'd all thought they had been dead for years, not wanting to open a wound. He remembered Arya saying they had sewn Grey Wind's head onto a body and paraded it around claiming it was him.

"I didn't know it at the time, but they were all truth, but I'll get to that eventually. I got to a chamber where I could hear the dragons screaming, clearly sensing I was nearby. I followed the sound and found them chained against a table, unable to break loose from their bonds. A few warlocks entered at this and stated that with them around, their magic was strong again, and they didn't want to lose their newfound abilities. I felt something on my wrists and neck, and when I looked I noticed they had used their magic to chain me alongside them so I couldn't escape. But I had a trick up my sleeve. Before they were taken, I had taught my dragons how to breathe fire on command. Granted, it was only small streams of it, but I had three of them. 

"They burned the warlocks and once they were dead, they were able to burn through our chains. I grabbed them and escaped right then and met Jorah outside who was worried sick as to him I'd just vanished. We made our way back to the manse and I marched my way up to the largest room which was occupied by Xaro- now the King of Qarth. Just before I visited that tower, he and Pyat slaughtered the other members that governed the city in front of me and seized power. He was in bed, with my one remaining handmaiden in his bed. They tried to run but they failed. It came out it was them who gave the warlocks access to the dragons and it was Doreah who killed Irri. Doreah was the one who taught me the Dothraki tongue alongside Jhiqui, and it was her my brother hired to teach me the art of pleasuring a man. 

"We managed to seize the pair of them and I'll be honest, I dealt with them in a not humane way, but I was young and naïve and angry beyond belief they had done what they did. Each of the thirteen had a massive vault which encased their riches, and we opened Xaro's. Much to our surprise, it was empty. It becoming clear that Qarth is not as wealthy as it claimed to be. My remaining men marched them inside and locked the vault. No food, no water, and threw away the key. Truthfully, the next part doesn't sit right with me now, but it was needed. We looted the place, and we used this to purchase a ship. A small one mind you, only large enough to fit a hundred or so people. And we sailed for Astapor. I was going to need an army, and Astapor are famous for their Unsullied. It was Jorah's idea that we go there, I wanted to try and recruit the Golden Company despite them spitting in my face when I was a little girl when my brother tried to do so."

At this, she reached over to take a long drink. Allowing the momentary pause to reflect on it all. It did not sit well with Robb she had saw his 'death' in a vision. He didn't believe in any of that but it seems magic was well and truly a thing in Westeros again.

"I had plenty of gold left over, but not enough to buy an army. I met with their owner Kraznys, using a translator so we could communicate. I didn't let on that I understood him fully. I speak High Valyrian fluently, but with moving all over the place, I became quite adept with the differing dialects of the language. Especially because the man who sheltered my brother and I had unsullied to guard his manse, so I knew the Astapori dialect almost as well as I do the original language. We talked for weeks with him but he refused every time. Eventually agreeing I could have the 'weakling' version I believe is what he put it as. Those who hadn't completed their training but were still incredibly useful.

"I almost accepted it but I was determined to get more. Then one day I was walking along a street littered with crucified slaves. I can't remember what it was called now, but basically any slave that disobeyed their master was punished. Some that took is as the greatest insults would nail their slaves to crucifixes on this street. I was disgusted, and I started going around them all, giving them water and some rationed food to ease their suffering. I came across a young girl one day, perhaps eight or nine, and she had a ball in her hands. She threw it to me and I threw it back, simply thinking she wanted to play. But on the second toss, the ball opened, and a manticore came out of it. You don't get them here in Westeros, but one sting will kill a person in seconds. I only had seconds to react and I jumped away only to see someone in rags stab it with a knife and killing it before it could attack me. The girl ran away at this and we were unable to find her, and then my saviour removed his hood. I didn't recognise him as I'd never met him, but Jorah did immediately. Ser Barristan. Joffrey stripped him of office for being old and he came to find me and swore himself to me immediately.

"I started forming a plan to get the entirety of the unsullied, but I needed it to remain a secret in case it backfired on us all. I got close with his translator quickly and I knew I was going to take her too. By this point, the dragons were about the size of horses. I had one more meeting with him, and I made him a deal. I'd give him one of my dragons. Jorah and Barristan were aghast at the offer, but I knew what I was doing. He tried to haggle for two but I stood ground on just the one, the largest of the three. He agreed to this. The next day he gathered the entirety if the Unsullied army to a meeting ground where it was finalised. Once the whip was handed to me to signify I was their 'owner' now, I dropped the act of not being able to understand him. For weeks he had been insulting me and calling me every derogatory name you could possibly think of. That moment of realisation on his face was glorious as he tried to have them kill me, but they were now bound to me. Drogon burned him on the spot and then proceeded to take out those who were guarding us all alongside Rhaegal and Viserion. I freed them all from their bonds and asked them to fight for me, and they all agreed."

Catelyn spotted Sansa's eyebrow quirk slightly, clearly impressed with the manoeuvre. It was a dodgy thing to do, but she must've been certain it would work.

"I gained an army of eight thousand that day, an army of the finest soldiers in Essos. Jorah and Barristan were furious with me but they understood why I didn't tell them what I was going to do. Barristan tried to talk me into sailing west then and there but I didn't feel ready to do so yet. So, we travelled northward to Yunkai. Once there, I met with those who governed the city alongside a sellsword company- the second sons. They were furious when I told them what I wanted to do. Neither of these men didn't want to lose their slaves as without them they would have to do work themselves and not just have gold appearing from others work. We plotted on how to take the city for a few days but one night, the captain of the second sons came to me carrying a large sack. He tipped it out and the heads of the other two leaders fell to the ground, bending to me straight away.

"He knew ways to get into the city, and he got his men to open the gates which made it easy to take the city. Before this during the negotiations with the masters of Yunkai, I was gifted a lot of gold which they wanted me to take to go elsewhere and leave them alone. I didn't do so, and when they realised they were defeated, agreed to follow me reluctantly. There was only one place for me to go after this, Meereen. I'd gotten two of the three cities under my belt, so I thought may as well get the third too. That was a mistake on my part but I'll get to that in a minute. It took us nearly three weeks to get there on foot. And each mile of the way, they had a child slave crucified. They knew it would hurt me to see that, and every single one we buried them and burned the damned crucifixes they were nailed to. The closer we got, the more determined I got to succeed in abolishing slavery.

"When we arrived outside the gates of Meereen, they sent a champion to greet us. The city is famous for its fighting pits and this man was the best they had at it. The leader of the seconds sons- Daario Naharis- offered to go up against him. He wanted to prove he was on my side. They rode towards him hard with a spear and a lance, but Daario simply threw a knife, trusting his aim was good. It struck true and landed in his neck, both he and horse falling to the ground. Due to their custom, they had to let us in, and gave us shelter in the great pyramid. It stands eight hundred feet high and had more than enough space to house us all. I was there for around two months when we received notification that both Astapor and Yunkai had fallen back into slavery. I should've made a council or something to govern them, but I didn't. Simply banked on them staying in line because I have dragons.

"I decided to remain after this, learn how to rule and govern, and actually abolish slavery in the bay. Things were going good for a few months but one day, the body of an unsullied was found in a brothel. Before you ask, some of them went as they wanted companionship, he being one of them. Uprisings started and soon people were being attacked in the streets every other day. I'd made the decision to stop the fighting pits that Meereen was famous for, a move that was not taken well. Masters didn't like that someone young and female was showing them that they could be rich without slavery. Slaves began fighting their masters, and masters fought back in return. We got to a stalemate eventually, but we were just waiting on it to blow up in our faces. 

"And then something happened, something I had no control over but hurt me. I held court daily in the pyramid, and one day a man came to me with a small bundle in his arms. He asked for a private audience so I ushered everyone else out apart from a couple of guards, Jorah, and Barristan. When he opened that bundle..."

She gulped at this, and from the look the redhead was giving her confirmed she knew what was coming.

"He lay it on the ground and I was met with charred bones. A little girl, ages three. She had been helping her father round up their sheep when Drogon decided he wanted them as food. He managed to get away but she wasn't quick enough and was caught in the onslaught of a hungry dragon. I didn't know what to do, absolutely horrified that this had happened. He managed to fly away, probably knowing I would be furious with him. I couldn't give this man anything because nothing can repay for the death of a child to a parent. I lured Rhaegal and Viserion into the underground caves below the pyramids and chained them. I swore I would never do that, but I didn't have much of a choice in it. I was not going to have more charred bones rested at my feet of children."

Her face contorted into one of pain, and no one could say anything on it. She was right, there was no greater pain than losing a child. She'd lost her own babe, Robb had lost his babe, Catelyn had lost Rickon. Daenerys took a few deep breaths before continuing.

"This was the catalyst for the revolt. Now that I only had one dragon that could cause damage and he was who knows where, I didn't have anything to make them differentiate me from them. I was losing my grip on them but I was determined to succeed in what I was doing. I was not going to allow Meereen to fall back into slavery like Astapor and Yunkai. I sent men out to find out where they were coming from and what they wanted, and if they could find out some of their plans all the better. Daario caught one hidden in a wall of a house and we took him in. However, the person guarding decided to take justice into their own hands and executed him before we could trial him. I took him outside to the main execution section and everyone came out to watch. Jorah and Barristan begged me to trial him but stupidly I didn't. 

"I ordered one of my unsullied to take his head right then, and this just blew it up even more. The fighting increased and it got to a point we were getting desperate. I listened to my advisors and decided to open one pit, the largest one. But I made it known that there would be no killing, and every participant would have to be willing. Whilst we were restoring it, Barristan came to me with a scroll, and I found out what Jorah was doing. On that scroll was a pardon from Robert Baratheon for spying on me. I was absolutely devastated by this and I exiled him as a result. Even now, I feel immense guilt about it because he'd proven time and time again he was loyal to me. But I just remembered how quickly he figured out the wine in the eastern markets was laced with poison.

"Grey Worm and Barristan were doing patrols one day, and they were ambushed. According to Grey, it was two hundred against just them. He was seriously injured, but Barristan wasn't so lucky. He took numerous swords to the gut to protect Grey and the people of Meereen. His death devastated me massively, he was the only person around me who knew my family. Most nights when I couldn't sleep he would just sit with me and answer any questions I had. Even stuff as stupid as what my mothers favourite scents were. I was at the bottom again so I held court more often and listened to the people's complaints. I made compromises with them. Some slaves are what are called 'well-bred'. The ones lucky to have been owned by the richest and were basically babysitters and teachers, just without being paid. If both parties agreed for a small pay, I'd allow it, but only in yearly increments.

"This seemed to work and we got some semblance of peace, but it wasn't enough. But then I received a visit from two people. Jorah came back, with Tyrion Lannister. Even in Slaver's Bay I'd heard that he'd killed his father, and considering his father ordered the butchering of my goodsister, niece, and nephew, I rightfully didn't trust him. But I did trust in the fact he was good with politics. He counselled me in allowing Jorah a pardon but he couldn't step foot in Meereen again. I accepted this and off he went, and I kept Tyrion around. I'm not sure when it was I started to trust him, but I oddly did. We received someone by the name of Hizhdar Zo Loraq- he was from one of the noble families of Meereen. I spoke with them but I was dealt with another blow being that one of the revolutionists was his father. We were crucifying those who were slavers trying to bring back that way, and it was straight back to square one.

"I knew I had to show power, so I took him and another underneath the pyramid. I hadn't seen my other dragons in almost a year at this point, and they had grown to a shocking size, easily fifty feet. They proceeded to eat his companion in front of him which well and truly cemented that I held the power of Meereen, but to solidify it I would marry one of them and adapt some of their customs. Hizhdar was there, and I decided to use it to my advantage. I felt no kind of affection to the man, but political marriages are common. He helped me in making the fighting pit useable again. We got to a steady truce with the city, and when we officially opened the pit, it was almost bursting at the seams. Tens of thousands crammed into one large coliseum. 

"Only those seasons were permitted to use live steel, those who weren't had to use blunted steel, but apart from that they had free reign. They signed contracts to confirm they were fighting to the death. This was something I eventually relented on, no matter how horrible it made me feel. Fighting for sport is fine but fighting to the death as a sport I didn't agree with. It went on for hours, and I found myself enjoying it. However, this changed quickly. It was announced a Westerosi was competing. I couldn't see their face as they shielded themselves, but they bet everyone they were up against. They removed their helmet and once again, it was Jorah. I almost laughed at the man's dedication, but I was still hurt by what he had done. I was about to order him be escorted out when he threw a spear towards me. I jumped out the way but I was shocked that it had embedded itself into a Harpy right behind me.

"The Harpies is what the revolutionists called themselves. I looked around and suddenly there were thousands of them staring at me, their golden masks mocking me. I was surrounded. Guards immediately covered us all and we made our way to the centre. I can't describe what happened next exactly as I don't think it can be explained to someone who'll never experience what it is like to bond with a dragon. But somehow I knew Drogon was nearby, and he was angry. He dropped out of the sky and started burning them, but he avoided the innocents as much as he could and landed in front of me, Missandei, Tyrion, Jorah, Grey Worm, and a few others. He took out everyone who came near us and it bought us time. I walked over to him and pulled myself onto his back. It wasn't easy to do so considering he's much larger than the other two, and he began running around and finally took off."

Now, it was so quiet it wouldn't surprise anyone if they could hear a pin drop. Robb and Catelyn now knew the feeling of being atop a dragon even if it was only for a few hours. But she first mounted one when thousands of people were trying to kill her.

"It became clear I didn't have much control over him, and he took me somewhere I hadn't been for years. Right into the heart of the Dothraki Sea. I knew I was in trouble at this point but he refused to move. He took a few spears and ballista whilst in the pit, and he was hurt. I tried to pull them free but this only angered him more and he flew away, leaving me stranded. I knew roughly where I was, but not exactly. The Dothraki Sea is a huge area of Essos, and they are not people to trifled with. I was out of practise with the tongue and I knew I was at a disadvantage. My timing couldn't have been worse if I were trying because it just so happened to be the time where they were all travelling to Vaes Dothrak, and they pass through where I was to get there. 

"I wasn't going to outrun them or anything, so I just had to wait. I only done so for a couple of days before they all came from all sides, surrounding me immediately. They were spinning around me on their horses, creating an easily seen spot, and I took advantage of this by dropping my grandmother's ring for someone to find. I knew people were coming to look for me, and I had to leave a clue for them to do so. I was tied behind their horses and made to walk to the city which is their way of saying you're lesser than a slave pretty much. I was taken to a meeting of Khal's and I listened in on them stating how they were going to fuck me or sell me as a prostitute. I started speaking their tongue back to them and this shocked them, and they were even more shocked when I confirmed who I was.

"As dangerous as it was for me to do so, it was the safest thing for me to do so. Laying the widow of a Khal is a sin to them, and I trusted them not to go against their beliefs. This proved to be a good thing and they took me to Vaes Dothrak and with the Dosh Khaleen to await trial. Whilst there, I met a few other Khaleesi's and I got close with a few of them and began plotting how to get out of there. There were just under one hundred thousand of them in the city walls at that moment. I had to turn it in my favour. I was walking with one of the younger Khaleesi's who was bound there because she did not birth her Khal a son. I think she was fifteen at the time, not much younger than I was when I lost my son, and I took her under my wing. 

"We were captured by two people and when I turned around I saw it was Jorah and Daario, they had found me. A few days later they held the trial. The Khal's in the hut with the Dosh Khaleen waiting outside alongside their Khalasar's. I insulted them openly to rile them up, and then I pulled my card."

It went quiet for a bit at this as she stood up and grabbed a torch from the wall before sitting down again. All curious as to what she was doing apart from Sansa. They watched as she placed her hand into the flame which shocked them. Robb remembered now how she had hatched her dragons. Immune to fire.

"I never let it be known to them I could withstand fire, even Drogo didn't know when we were wed. He just thought I liked insanely hot baths. None of them were with me when the dragons hatched nor were they a part of the original Dothraki I had. Without them knowing, I instructed the Dosh Khaleen to barricade all but one entrance and douse the floor with oil. I threw down their torches and within seconds the whole place went up. They couldn't escape, and it was glorious watching their shock over how I was unaffected by the fire. It didn't take long for them to die, and once they had, I walked out. Completely unharmed. The Dothraki had never seen something like this before, and they immediately bent to me. They follow strength, and anyone who can withstand fire without being harmed is certainly strong to them.

"I was given their best horse, a golden-haired stallion, and we began riding east towards Meereen. It took us weeks to get there, and along the way Drogon made an appearance again which solidified their faith in me leading them. A leader of a Khalasar is supposed to name three bloodrider's, but I decided to name them all as such. When we arrived in Meereen, I was met with attacks in the harbour. I recognised their sails. Astapor, Yunkai, and Volantis. I was furious at this and demanded to speak to Tyrion but he confirmed he'd managed to set up a parlay for the following day. 

"I went to this parlay and they gave me terms of surrender, but I wasn't going down. I instead gave them terms of surrender and this angered them massively. They tried to leave but Drogon came up and by this time I had full control over him. I mounted him and took down the attacking ships and at that moment, my newly acquired Khalasar took out the remaining Harpies which solidified peace. I made sure not to kill those who came to parlay because even though I grew up in Essos, I'm still a Westerosi, and I know of guest right. Once the parlay was over and they surrendered, I couldn't let them all go free. I had to make a further statement. Grey Worm walked up to them and Tyrion stated one would die. They pushed the one who was lowborn to us thinking we would take him, but Grey had other ideas. With a single move, he sliced the throats of the other two and walked back. Leaving the one remaining to show what happens when messing with me.

"This spread throughout the bay, Astapor and Yunkai immediately stopping what they had started up again in fear that what I'd done in Meereen would happen to them too. As we were cleaning up, we got two visitors in the form of Yara and Theon. Now, I'm fully aware of what he done to you both, but he was only just beginning to come into his own again at this point. Couldn't even look anyone but his sister in the eye. They had managed to steal a third of the Iron Fleet when Euron claimed himself King of the Iron Islands, and they took their best ships to boot, and came to us. I now had hundreds of ships and I seized my chance to finally sail west. I created a council to govern the city and I order Daario to remain to oversee everything. He loved me, but I never loved him. I won't lie here, but we did share a brief fling. Three months later we docked here and I'm certain my husband confirmed everything that happened after this."

Neither of them knew what to say to this. It was a lot of information to take in, but it did fill out the gaps needed. 

"I wish I'd asked you everything beforehand- "

"Sansa, it's in the past now. You had reason to distrust me massively. I won't hold it against you."

The older two were a little confused but then they remember how Jon had told them they hated each other to begin with but were now amicable with one another. 

"Have you ever gone back?"

Daenerys leaned back in her seat and looked around the room for a few seconds.

"I haven't yet. I don't feel comfortable travelling such a long distance whilst pregnant. Of course, if I went on Drogon I could be there within a few days, but I'd rather not risk it. One day I will though, establish trade between us and them. I've also always wanted to visit Yi-Ti, and I knew Grey Worm wants to go to Naath to bury what little belongings Missandei had. He loved her deeply, and she loved him too. I'd had them with me for years, and they were going to adopt a few children and settle in her homeland. Cersei was just quick in taking her and then keeping her in the circle she blew up. There was nothing left of her body, but I need to grant him this small act."

Sansa squeezed her hand at this, remembering the Naathi translator. She hadn't gotten along with her but when they were both locked up in the crypts whilst the fighting happened above, she had seen how she was singing to the kids and being incredibly kind. It was odd to imagine the normally emotionless soldier sharing a romantic bond with the woman. A knock at the door broke them from their reminiscing as they snapped their head to the door. The men walking in obviously a Maester and an acolyte. One was extremely overweight but he smiled brightly when he saw them.

"Archmaester Marwyn, Acolyte Samwell, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

Robb snapped his head over at this, remembering Jon speaking of his friend Samwell and how he was temporarily holding the Reach until they decided on a new Lord or Lady Paramount. 

"We have scoured the surviving inhabitants of the Reach and we've got some suggestions. It was Gilly who brought up us doing this."

"I thought Maester's or Acolyte's couldn't have partners or openly have children."

It was only now they spotted the young boy holding on to the youngers leg. 

"The child is not his by blood, my Lady, but he treats and loves the child as his own. And truthfully, I'd rather not get on the King's bad side by not allowing one of his closest friends to remain with his Lady."

"I made the agreement I wouldn't receive the title of Maester, but I could learn under them. This allows it. I'll essentially be a stand in if Marwyn here is unavailable at the time. Thus, keeping the Faith on our side."

He bent down and hoisted the child up and bounced him a few times in his arms. Marwyn reached out to them and placed a piece of parchment on the table with a list of names. Daenerys and Sansa read them all and nodded before putting it away, clearly wanting to discuss with Jon whenever he came back. It was four days later he came back having gone to the Twins again to ensure everything was going ahead as planned. Like old times, Arya immediately ran to him and he scoped her up and scuffed her hair. Looking so much like the sixteen and eleven they used to be. Everything had turned on its axis now, but clearly the country is moving into a state of peace it had never experienced before. Whether that would last was unknown, but something was telling them it would.


	2. Update

I posted this intending for it to simply be a cute fluffy one shot for the holiday season. However, since posting it on a few sites I’ve had a few people message asking for me to expand on this. 

Since then I’ve been thinking and I may write more into it. If I were to do so, what would you like me to include? 

I won’t start posting it until I’ve got a clear plot line thought out and also because I’m working on another one, but I’ll add it on here when it’s finally up.


	3. Expanded edition

Forgot to add the update to this so here we go.

I thought about doing a part 2 one shot set years in advance but I spend 3+ months on these, so I decided against it. I finally decided to expand on the current universe and perhaps some bits and pieces post-universe in line with this.

I’ve already posted it and it is titled Arisen (I couldn’t think of anything better, but hit me with suggestions. I wanted to keep it similar to this one). The first five parts are posted and it starts from the moment they arrive at the capital and everything that follows. Chapters are short though and it probably won’t expand past 30 parts.   
  


You don’t have to read it if you’ve read this as it just goes into much more detail, but if you’re interested you can check it out.


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